TAMPA, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University Sharks Volleyball fell in four sets to No. 3 Tampa after an upset bid where the Sharks claimed the first set.
Records: Nova Southeastern 8-13 (1-9 SSC) | No. 3 Tampa 18-1 (10-0 SSC)
Location: Bob Martinez Athletics Center | Tampa, Fla.
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First Set (25-23, NSU) – The Sharks came out and stunned the Spartans early with a quick 3-0 lead with two blocks and a quick service ace forcing the No. 3 team in the country to take a quick timeout. Tampa shifted the momentum forcing the Sharks into a couple of errors to take the lead midway through the frame. The Sharks went toe-to-toe with the Spartans down the stretch staying tied with the host team in a set that featured six ties and three lead changes. With the Spartans leading 23-20, the Sharks earned a couple of points including a kill from
Natalya Bergant to cut the lead to one forcing the Spartans to use their final timeout of the set. The timeout didn't help as the Sharks stunned Tampa ending the frame on a 5-0 run to take the set. It was the first time since early September which the Spartans dropped a set to a non-ranked opponent.
Second Set (25-21, UT) – NSU came out in the second set and proved the first frame wasn't a fluke battling back-and-forth with a strong Tampa squad taking a 7-5 lead before four straight from the Spartans forced the first timeout of the set. Tampa wasn't fazed by the timeout continuing on to score seven unanswered to take a 12-7 lead. The Sharks quickly turned it around with a 5-0 run of their own capped by a
Brooke Spurgeon service ace to even the set at 12-12. Both sides teeter-tottered into the last third of the set. NSU only collected five kills in the set forcing Tampa into eight attacking errors, just one match after the Spartans only committed one attacking error in the entire match in a sweep of Florida Southern. Tampa ended the set on a 6-0 run to clinch the set from a NSU lead.
Third Set (25-12, UT) – The defending SSC champions came out with a vengeance after the side change using a 9-1 run to take a 14-5 lead with both of
Matt Geer's timeouts being used early on. The Sharks struggled to climb back into the set as the Spartans showed off their firepower hitting north of .400 in the set with Tampa taking the third set convincingly to put the Sharks on the ropes down two sets to one heading into the fourth.
Fourth Set (25-21, UT) – Natalya Bergant earned an early kill as she led the Sharks in kills, hitting .225 with nine digs. Nova Southeastern fought tooth-and-nail despite multiple early deficits to Tampa to take a 13-12 advantage in a set the Sharks were only able to tie twice to that point in the frame. The upset-minded Sharks battled with the No. 3 Spartans in a set that featured eight ties and six lead changes going on a three-point run with two kills from
Caiden Largent and an
Amalee Doyle ace to take a 20-18 lead forcing a Tampa timeout. The Spartans came out of the timeout on a 5-1 run to take a 23-21 advantage forcing the final timeout of the set from NSU. The timeout didn't help as the Spartans took the next two points to claim the set and the match in four.
Bergant led the team in kills with 13. Four Sharks collected 10+ digs including
Taylor Teaman,
Abbie Roth,
Brooke Spurgeon and
Caiden Largent.
Abbie Roth collected a double-double with 25 assists and 10 digs.
Nova Southeastern hits the midpoint of its five-match road trip on Saturday, Oct. 17 against Florida Southern in Lakeland. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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