FORT LAUDERDALE – The Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (14-7, 5-3 SSC) will return to the friendly confines of the NSU Arena at the Don Taft University Center on Friday night to host the No. 1 ranked Tampa Spartans (16-3, 6-0 SSC) in a Sunshine State Conference matchup. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m.
Prior to the match, Macaroni Kid will be hosting an event in the University Pit area from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Kid-related activities include poster making, a sensory activity, among others and free swag bags to the first 100 in attendance. Macaroni Kid is a weekly e-newsletter and website for families in the area to inform them of upcoming activities and events in the community.
Coming off a 3-2 win on Tuesday night over SSC rival Lynn, the Sharks have now won three out of their last four matches. In their last outing, the Sharks saw the return of
Sydney Cook (Sr., Miami, Fla.), who missed NSU's previous 10 matches, to the rotation. Although a modest night offensively, Cook delivered a solid defensive effort recording four total blocks, one of which set up match point allowing NSU to pull off the five-set victory.
Dana Holger (Sr., Lino Lakes, Fla.) continued to be the leading force behind the Sharks' offense matching her career-high 22 kills for the fourth time this season. She also set a career-high seven total blocks which included four solos. Even though Holger had reached 1,000 kills heading into the South Region Crossover, she continued to climb the list of NSU's career kill leaders. After Tuesday's performance, she had 1,071 which makes her sixth all-time and just 70 away from surpassing NSU Hall of Famer Sherri Waddell for third in program history.
The night was consumed with individual success with
Caitlin Donahue (Sr., Miami, Fla.) and
Megan Burns (Fr., Sylvania, Ohio) reaching career-highs. Donahue hit a whopping .565 and amassed a career-best 15 kills in the Sharks' win, while Burns added a career-best 18 digs on the night.
Devyn Main (So., Port Charlotte, Fla.) also matched a previous career-high recording nine blocks in the match.
This will be the first of two meetings between Tampa and NSU this season. The Sharks will face off with Tampa on the road just under a month away on Nov. 21.
Tampa comes into Friday night's match ranked No. 1 in the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) and No. 1 in the SSC. The last time NSU defeated the Spartans was during the 2008 season when the Sharks picked up a five set win over UT at the NSU Arena. NSU went on to win the NCAA South Region tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight that same season.
The Spartans lead the league in team hitting percentage at .293 which is nearly 50 points higher than any other SSC team. They also are the league leaders in kills per set averaging 14.36. The Sharks will have to prepare for a heavy offensive attack from Tampa's Jessica Wagner and Berkly Whaley. Wagner leads the SSC in hitting percentage, while Whaley leads in kills per set. NSU's Holger ranks third in the league averaging just over 3.5 kills per set offensively.
