FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Despite a hard-fought and thrilling effort by the NSU volleyball team, No. 21 Florida Southern emerged victorious, 3-1, on Friday night at the NSU Arena (24-26, 17-25, 31-29, 23-25).
 
Despite the loss, there were a few exceptional performances and eye-popping numbers that stood out for NSU (6-5, 1-2 SSC) in their first conference match of the weekend. Jessica Ronyak led the Sharks with 18 kills and posted a double-double, contributing 13 digs, while Maddie Uilk recorded eight total blocks, one solo. As a team, the Sharks recorded 13 service aces, the highest amount since its 3-2 loss to Western State Colorado.
 
Megan Burns was fantastic defensively, tallying 31 digs, while Samantha Blasko put up a career-high 35 assists. Denvyr Tyler-Palmer was inches away from posting her fifth double-double of the season, chipping in 16 kills and nine digs.
 
The Sharks stayed ahead throughout the early stages of the first set, with its biggest lead over the 21^st-ranked Mocs (8-2, 2-1 SSC) at six points (18-12) before FSC went off on an 8-3 run to come within one point, 21-20. The Monarchs fought hard to preserve the lead, but fell short in extra points, 26-24.
 
Florida Southern's offense dominated the Sharks in set two, as the Mocs tallied 14 kills to NSU's five. The Mocs jumped out to an early 6-3 lead but errors by the visitors and a kill by Tyler-Palmer and service ace by Ronyak helped the Sharks grab the advantage, 7-6. After two more ties, the Mocs pulled away with the lead and never looked back, earning the 25-17 win.
 
Set three was a battle of the ages, seeing 15 total ties and ending with a final score of 31-29 in NSU's favor. Locked up at 10-10, the Sharks took off to grab a seven-point edge (17-10) founded on Burns' four aces and kills by Ronyak. After a timeout called by the Mocs, the visitors slowly crept back to come within four points (18-14) but three consecutive points gave NSU a 21-14 cushion. FSC responded with a 9-1 run, stealing the lead from NSU, 23-22. A kill by Ronyak knotted things once more, but FSC's Anna Tovo gave FSC the lead and a point away from a 3-0 win but a kill by Tashalyn Begon and an error by the Mocs turned the tables and NSU went ahead, 25-24. After five consecutive ties, Nova Southeastern was able to capitalize on a kill by Tyler-Palmer and service ace by Elysaa Stimmell to end up on top.
 
Nova Southeastern held the advantage for most of the fourth set, staying ahead until the scoreboard read 20-17 and the Mocs went on a four-point run to steal the lead and causing the Sharks to ultimately fall short, 25-23, to fall 3-1 in all.
 
The Sharks continue in the friendly confines of the NSU Arena as they host Eckerd College on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
 
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