Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Coming off back-to-back losses on Friday, the NSU volleyball team flipped the switch and picked up two victories on Saturday. The Sharks swept Lenoir-Rhyne in their first game of the day before coming back to win a five-set thriller over Tusculum to wrap up play in the 10^th-Annual Shark Invitational.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
GAME ONE FINAL: W, 3-0 (25-15, 25-15, 25-20)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern Sharks (1-2), Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (1-2)
GAME TWO FINAL:  W, 3-2 (25-22, 22-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-12)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern Sharks (2-2), Tusculum Pioneers (2-2)
LOCATION: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
  
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nova Southeastern vs. Lenoir Rhyne
 
SET 1 | The Sharks grabbed an early 5-0 lead, and continued to put on the pressure as a service ace by Denvyr Tyler-Palmer forced the Bears to take their first timeout at 10-4. The Bears were able to come within four at 13-9, but a seven-point explosion by the Sharks kept them out of the running as NSU went on to win the first set, 25-15.
 
SET 2 | NSU showed their strength early again in set two, jumping out to a 11-4 advantage before forcing LR to take their first timeout. The Bears fought back to bring the deficit to just three points at 17-14, but kills by Tyler-Palmer and Megan Burns sparked an 8-1 run to take the second set and put the match advantage on NSU's side.
 
SET 3 | In the closest game of the match, seeing eight ties before at 12-12 the Sharks put up back-to-back points for a 14-12 lead, enough to make LR call timeout. After the break, a service ace by Tyler-Palmer gave the Sharks a three-point advantage, their largest of the game. NSU held this lead until a ball handling error by Rivera gave the Bears the 19-18 edge. The Sharks then took advantage of errors by LR and a kill by Rivera to take back the lead, 21-20, and never looked back. A five-point run capped with an ace by Jane Early and yet another kill by Tyler-Palmer sealed the sweep for the Sharks.  
  
INSIDE THE STATS: 

• Tyler-Palmer was a force to reckon with at the net, tallying a game-high 19 kills to go along with a .395 hitting percentage. The junior also added two aces.
• As a team, the Sharks out-blocked the Bears, 10.0 to 1.0.
• Rivera steered the offense once more, tallying 23 assists, adding four blocks, six kills and 12 digs, completing her first double-double as a Shark.
• On the defensive side, Burns picked up 19 digs, as well as six assists.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE: 

• NSU's .290 team hitting percentage was its highest since Oct. 29 against Florida Southern (.308).
• In 2016, the Sharks recorded only two three-set wins, their first not coming until the South Region Crossover against West Alabama on Oct. 14.

 
  
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Nova Southeastern vs. Tusculum
 
SET 1 | NSU continued its momentum from the first game of the day, jumping out to an early 3-0 lead with kills by Rivera and an error by the Pioneers. The Sharks continued to put on the heat, taking their largest lead of the game, 16-10, forcing TC to call a timeout. After the break, the visiting team responded with a run of their own, bringing the deficit to just one point, 19-18, but back-to-back blocks by the Sharks pushed them ahead by two as the team never looked back for a 25-22 win.
 
SET 2 | Despite taking another 3-0 lead to begin the set, the Pioneers were able to come back and tie the game, 9-9, before NSU pulled away using an error from the opposing team and a kill by Tyler-Palmer. The Sharks would hold this lead until at 15-15, the Pioneers took the lead and held on, allowing NSU to tie the game once more, but ultimately ending up on top with a 25-22 win of their own.
 
SET 3 | Much like the second set, the two teams stayed within two points of each other until at 10-10, a kill by TC's Cassie Born gave the Pioneers a lead they would not relinquish. The Sharks were able to come within three at 21-18, but that was the closest they would get as TC went on to win 25-20.
 
SET 4 | Tied at 12-12 in the fourth, NSU went on a 4-1 run to force Tusculum to call timeout. The break did not phase the Sharks however, as they grabbed the 25-17 win utilizing a 9-5 run capped with yet another kill by Rivera.
 
SET 5 | The Pioneers responded to NSU's 2-1 lead with a 5-1 run to grab a 6-3 lead, the biggest deficit the game would see. The Sharks were able to outscore TC 5-2 to knot the game 8-8. The game would see three more ties until the scoreboard read 12-12 and a kill by Burns gave NSU a 13-12 edge. The match would conclude the next two plays as the Pioneers committed two errors, giving the Sharks the overall victory.
  
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

• Tyler-Palmer recorded a stifling 32 kills, 15 more than any other person on either team. In 86 swings, the outside hitter only committed six errors. She also tallied her second double-double of the weekend with 17 digs.
• Rivera more than doubled her own assist record she set yesterday with 53, making it another double-double with 13 digs. She also added eight kills.
• Maddie Uilk broke her kill record for the second night in a row, posting 15 kills.
• Burns led all players defensively, tallying 25 digs as well as six assists.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
 

• Tyler-Palmer was one kill away from breaking the school record for kills in a match, 32, set by Rosalyn LaHara back in 1999. She did, however, break her own record of 29 kills (vs. Rockhurst 9/03/16).
• The Sharks snapped their nine-game five-set losing streak with tonight's win. Their last five-set win was against Lynn on Sept. 16, 2016.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Sharks will hit the road for the first time in 2017, traveling to Saint Leo, Fla. to compete in the Saint Leo University Tournament on Sept. 8 and 9.
 

SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_VBALL.


2017 SHARK INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Brooke Redmond - Lenoir-Rhyne
Sarah Kelly - Minnesota Duluth
Denvyr Tyler-Palmer - Nova Southeastern
Megan Burns - Nova Southeastern
Madison Hunziker - Post
Nina Vattovaz - Saint Leo
Ashley Quero - Saint Leo
Shannon Murphy - Tusculum