MELBOURNE, Fla.- The Panthers took a quick two-set lead before Saint Leo bounced back winning two straight sets, forcing a fifth set. Florida Tech took the fifth set, 15-9, to earn their first conference win of the season.  
 
Final: Florida Tech 3, Saint Leo 2
Records: Florida Tech (6-5, 1-2 SSC), Saint Leo (5-6, 1-2 SSC)
Location: Clemente Center | Melbourne, Fla.   
STATS OF THE MATCH:

• Florida Tech took an early 5-1 lead and continued to go on a 13-9 run.
• With the scoreboard reading 18-10, the Lions took four of the next six points to close the gap, 20-14.
• Tech scored three-straight points before taking the final two on a SLU attack error and bad set.
• Set two was a much closer affair, with neither team leading by more than three points before Tech scored seven straight to take a 18-13 lead.
• Teams traded points for the remainder of the set with the match point coming on a service error by SLU.
• Tech quickly established a 10-5 lead to open set three. Saint Leo responded with a 12-2 for the lead.
• SLU scored the final five points of the set to seal the victory and stay in the match, 2-1.
• Neither team led by more than two to open set four before SLU scored four in a row to take a 11-7 lead.
• It was back and forth up until 17-13, three straight kills from Tech, one by Lily Muszynski and two from Lexi Lueger, cut the Panthers deficit by one, 17-16.
• Lions tallied the final five points with three kills and two Panther errors to force a fifth set.
• Panthers opened the final set on a 8-3 run.
• Four Lions points cut the lead, 8-7, before Tech went on a 7-2, propelling the Panthers to a 15-9 win.
• Katie Erdmann led the Panthers with 24 kills, 12 digs, and one assist.
• Hope Demarest and Lexi Lueger each tallied 11 kills apiece to go along with five and nine digs, respectfully.
• Kenzie Delacher posted 42 assists with nine digs and two blocks.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The Panthers are now 25-33 all-time against the Lions. This was their third win against Saint Leo since the start of the 2006 season.
• Tech hit for .223 as a team including .308 in set one.
• Tech has posted a hitting percentage of .206 on the season compared to their opponent's .187

 
UP NEXT: The Panthers return to the Clemente Center Thursday, September 15 to host Florida Southern. First set begins at 7 p.m.
 
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