FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University Sharks Volleyball went 1-1 over the weekend at home with a pair of sweeps with opposite results.
Records: Nova Southeastern 8-6 (1-2 SSC) | Saint Leo 4-9 (0-3 SSC)
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Set (25-22, NSU) – The Sharks came out of the gates red hot in the first set hitting .357 as a team getting attacks through the Lions' blocking scheme to rack up 13 kills to just three attacking errors. Despite the high attacking percentage from NSU, both teams jockeyed for control but NSU was able to turn in a 6-3 run after the set was tied at 13 forcing a Saint Leo timeout the Lions could never recover from.
Second Set (25-22, NSU) – NSU punched in two blocks and three service aces to help the Sharks along in a contentious second set that saw the Lions lead by as many as five points at 17-12.
Natalya Bergant took off in the second set collecting kill after kill helping the Sharks rally to an eventual tie at 21-21. Of the final four points of the set,
Hadley Dantzler made her name known with two kills and a block assist with
Abbie Roth.
Caiden Largent put the finishing touches on the middle set with a kill on set point.
Third Set (25-21, NSU) – The Sharks were aided in the final set by multiple errors from the Lions. Saint Leo committed nine attacking errors, two service errors and a blocking error "gifting" Nova Southeastern 12 points in the set. Despite this, the Lions never trailed by more than two points for most of the set. Kills down the stretch for
Natalya Bergant and
Hadley Dantzler helped the Sharks along for an eventual match-ending service ace from
Brooke Spurgeon.
The win marked the first for the Sharks while hitting under .200 as a team.
Natalya Bergant tied her career high with 15 kills while
Taylor Teaman shined at libero with 23 digs.
Records: Nova Southeastern 8-7 (1-3 SSC) | Eckerd 10-5 (2-2 SSC)
Location: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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First Set (25-22, EC) – The Tritons hit well in the opening set at .333 compared to the Sharks just .158 as the Tritons took control of the set statistically but could never shake the Sharks on the scoreboard. NSU pushed within two at 23-21 but two Jaelynn Tunley kills ended the Shark threat and gave Eckerd the opening set.
Second Set (25-21, EC) – NSU couldn't get the wheels turning hitting a negative percentage in a set for the first time this season. Despite the negative percentage, the Sharks held multiple leads in the frame, leading by as many as four at 17-13. Eckerd would use a 6-1 run to reclaim the lead and a separate 6-1 run later on to win the set with a duo of kills from Tunley.
Third Set (25-21, EC) – The Tritons won the set going wire-to-wire building up a quick 5-1 lead and never looked back. NSU made a run to tie the set at 20 but Eckerd won the next five of six points to claim the match.
NSU hit below .100 as a team for the first time this season.
Abbie Roth collected another double-double with 28 assists and 14 digs.
Nova Southeastern hits the road for a three-match road trip facing Embry-Riddle and Rollins on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 before heading to face nationally-ranked Lynn on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The Sharks finally return home on Oct. 10 for a rivalry matchup against Palm Beach Atlantic.
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