Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 PUEBLO, Colo. – On the final day of the 2016 ThunderWolves Volleyball Classic, the Nova Southeastern University volleyball team (5-3) split a pair of matches to close out tournament play on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks defeated Adams State (25-22, 11-25, 25-16, 25-21) by a score of 3-1 to open the final day, but suffered a grueling five-set loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville 25-16, 25-21, 24-26, 24-26, 15-10 to finish play.
Jessica Ronyak (Sr., Burton, Ohio) led the Sharks offensively on Saturday with 29 total kills and added 16 digs. Freshman
Kerrigan McVicker (Toledo, Ohio) added 26 kills and five blocks, which included a career-high 20 against a highly touted Texas A&M-Kingsville squad and
Tashalyn Begon (Sr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) finished with 24 kills. Senior setter
Katie Pyles (Denver, Colo.) averaged 9.22 assists per set and added six blocks, while libero
Megan Burns (So., Sylvania, Ohio) covered the floor defensively collected 55 digs averaging 6.11 digs/set.
MATCH 1 BOX SCORE – ADAMS STATE
After opening the tournament with a pair of losses, the Sharks turned it around on the final day by winning the first match against the Adams State Grizzlies (4-4) by a score of 3-1. NSU held the lead most of the way in the first set and fought off six ties through the first 10 points. But after taking an 11-10 lead, the Sharks led the remainder of the way taking the 25-22 victory and a 1-0 advantage in the match. In the second, NSU came in off balance and hit a negative team hitting percentage, while the Grizzlies made quick work for a 25-11 score to even the match at one set apiece.
The Sharks re-discovered their rhythm from the first set and began chipping away once again. After eight tie scores through the first 10 points again, NSU recaptured the lead 11-10 and outscored ASU down the stretch 14-6 for the 25-16 set two win and reclaimed the match advantage, 2-1. It was more even in the final frame, but once again NSU hit the magic score of 11-10 to retake the set lead and led the rest of the way to pick up their first win of the tournament, 3-1 over the Grizzlies.
Begon and Ronyak put up 12 and 11 kills respectively in the match, while Pyles added 34 assists. Burns finished with a match-high 27 kills.
MATCH 2 BOX SCORE – TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
In the final match of the tournament, it appeared as if it would be a short match with the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas (9-1) taking the first two sets 25-16 and 25-21. In the first, the Javelinas opened with a quick 13-5 lead in which the Sharks were unable to overcome. In the second, NSU battled early and led 13-11 at one point, but TAMU battled back to take the set and a 2-0 match advantage.
Showing their true #GR1T and determination, the Sharks may have been down, but certainly not out battling back to take the next two frames by identical 26-24 scores. Going point-for-point in each of the third and fourth sets, NSU came out on top in the end to even the match at two sets each. Going into the final decisive fifth set, grabbed an early 6-3 lead. But the Javelinas came back and regained the lead 9-8 and never relinquished it to the end for a 15-10 win in the final frame and took the match victory 3-2.
Having only seen action in two matches heading into the tournament, rookie outside hitter McVicker found a groove in the final match recording a career-best 20 kills to lead all upper classmen. Ronyak added her own career-best of 18 kills as a Shark, while Begon followed with 12. Burns finished with another 20-plus dig performance adding 28 on the day.
The Sharks will return to South Florida on Friday, Sept. 16 when they travel to Boca Raton to take on Lynn at 7 p.m. to open Sunshine State Conference competition in 2016.
