FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University Sharks Volleyball fell in its Sunshine State Conference home opener against arch-rival Barry in straight sets.
Records: Nova Southeastern 7-6 (0-2 SSC) | Barry 7-2 (2-0 SSC)
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Set (26-24, BU) – The trend continued of Nova Southeastern getting off to a hot start quickly building a four-point lead at 8-4, but the Buccaneers swashbuckled back going on an 8-1 run to take the lead. NSU was able to build back a lead with a kill from
Caiden Largent forcing set point at 24-22. After a Barry timeout, the Bucs found the next four points stealing the set from under the Sharks' noses. Substitute outside Valeriya Kozlova led the way with six kills off the bench for the Bucs.
Second Set (25-16, BU) – Barry had its best set of the afternoon in the second frame hitting .279 as a team using a balance attack from Vavara Osychenko, Veronika Eremeeva and Sofya Toropova. NSU did get back within four later in the set but a quick Barry run pushed the Buccaneers back into comfortability easily taking the second frame.
Third Set (33-31, BU) – In the longest and most intense set of the season, the Sharks stormed back from a 22-13 deficit using a 12-2 run including seven unanswered off the service of
Brooke Spurgeon to take the lead and force set point at 25-24. However, that's when the Sharks and Buccaneers went to war including eight ties and four lead changes. NSU had six set points to try to force a fourth set, but Barry was able to hold it off every instance. With the Sharks serving for their sixth set point at 31-30, a Shark service error, a kill from Barry's Kozlova and a service ace from Kozlova herself capped a three-point run for Barry for match point as the Buccaneers were able to successfully complete the sweep of the Sharks. It marks the first time Barry has swept Nova Southeastern in Rick Case Arena since 2022.
Nova Southeastern continues its three-match homestand on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Saint Leo. The Lions have lost six straight meetings with the Sharks and come into Fort Lauderdale on a two-match losing streak with both of those losses coming in conference play.
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