Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In its first day hosting the 10^th-Annual Shark Invitational, the Nova Southeastern volleyball team fell twice. NSU dropped a five-set thriller to Post before falling to No. 7 Minnesota Duluth in straight sets.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
GAME ONE FINAL: L, 2-3 (25-19, 14-25, 25-20, 22-25, 9-15)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern Sharks (0-1), Post Eagles (1-0)
GAME TWO FINAL: L, 0-3 (14-25, 14-25, 22-25)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern Sharks (0-2), No. 7 Minnesota Duluth (2-0)
LOCATION: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nova Southeastern vs. Post
 
SET 1 | The Sharks jumped out to a 6-2 lead early in the set, before multiple Shark errors allowed Post to tie the score. The two teams traded leads three times before at 17-17, NSU utilized a service error and back-to-back kills by Gabby Bauch and Denvyr Tyler-Palmer to take a 20-17 lead, one they would not relinquish. The Eagles tallied two more points before the Sharks shut down the game with five-straight points, capped with a service ace by Nicole Rivera to take set one.
 
SET 2 | After falling to 9-3 early on, the Sharks had trouble getting the momentum on their side. As NSU came within two at 9-7, the Eagles took off on another run to take a 13-7 lead and never look back, eventually taking set two, 25-14.
 
SET 3 | Down 14-11, a kill by Tyler-Palmer sparked a crucial 10-point explosion by the Sharks, giving the host team a 21-14 advantage. The Eagles fought back, tallying four consecutive points to make it 21-18, but NSU was able to maintain its lead and finished the set taking advantage of errors by Post.
 
SET 4 | The fourth set was the closest of the match, as neither team held more than a four-point lead over the other. A kill by Tyler-Palmer gave the Sharks a 10-8 lead, but as the Eagles rattled off six-straight points, NSU was unable to bring the score back into their favor. Another kill by Tyler-Palmer brought the Sharks to just a two point deficit, 24-22, but a kill by Post's Madison Hunziker finished the game and forced the fifth set.
 
SET 5 | Tied at 5-5, Post took off on a five-point run to grab a 10-5 lead. Despite taking advantage of errors by the Eagles and kills by Maddie Uilk and Jane Early, the Sharks were unable to catch back up, dropping the game, 15-9.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:

• Tyler-Palmer led the Sharks with 19 kills to go along with 16 digs, recording her first, and definitely not her last double-double of the season.
• Uilk's .280 hitting percentage was the best on the team, tallying 11 kills. She also put up four blocks.
• Megan Burns led the team defensively, picking up 21 digs along with six assists.
• The freshman showed great promise in their first game as a Shark, as Rivera tallied 26 assists, six digs and three kills. Amanda Pultorak also put up five blocks, the most on the team.
• Sam Blasko recorded six service aces, a game-high.

  
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Tyler-Palmer's double-double was her 21^st of her career.
• Uilk's 11 kills were a career-high.
• Blasko's six aces were also a career-high.

  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nova Southeastern vs. No. 7 Minnesota Duluth
 
SET 1 | The beginning of the match was anyone's as the scoreboard saw seven ties before at 7-7, the Bulldogs grabbed a 9-7 lead, and held that lead for the rest of the game. A kill by Gabby Bauch brought the Sharks within two at 13-11, the closest they would come.
 
SET 2 | UMD showed its strength early in the second set, taking an 8-1 lead before forcing NSU to call a timeout. At 18-10, the Sharks were able to take advantage of two Bulldog errors as well as a kill by Uilk to bring the score to 18-12, the closest the home team would get.
 
SET 3 | The closest set of the match, the third set saw the two teams stay within a point of each other until at 4-4, back-to-back kills by Uilk and an ace by Maya Patterson pushed the Sharks ahead, 6-4. The Bulldogs took the lead, 11-9, with a four-point run, before NSU rallied back with a five-point run to take back the lead, 14-11. The rest of the set saw eight ties before at 22-22, the Bulldogs used a Shark error and back-to-back kills by their outside and setter to finish the game, 25-22, and take the overall victory.
  
INSIDE THE STATS:

• In her freshman debut, Patterson led the Sharks offense with 13 kills to go along with four digs.
• Rivera matched her game-one assist total with 26, adding a team-high two blocks.
• On the defensive side, Burns posted 24 digs.

  
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• This is the first ranked opponent NSU has faced this season. The next time they will see another won't be until Oct. 6 when they take on SSC newcomer Palm Beach Atlantic. Currently they are ranked No. 6.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Sharks will wrap up play in the Shark Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 2, playing Lenoir-Rhyne at 2:00 p.m. and Tusculum at 7:00 p.m.
 
 
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