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VR
3
Winner Florida Tech FT 6-13,2-9 Sunshine State
2
Palm Beach Atl. PBA 7-11,3-8 Sunshine State
Winner
Florida Tech FT
6-13,2-9 Sunshine State
3
Final
2
Palm Beach Atl. PBA
7-11,3-8 Sunshine State
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Florida Tech FT 18 14 25 25 15 (3)
Palm Beach Atl. PBA 25 25 19 18 11 (2)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Alex Henderson

Volleyball Completes Comeback as Vallecas Rodriguez Helps Lead Panthers Over Sailfish

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – Florida Tech completed a comeback five set thriller in West Palm Beach Atlantic for its second conference win of the season.

FINAL: Florida Tech 3, Palm Beach Atlantic 2
Records: Florida Tech (6-13, 2-9 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic (7-11, 3-8 SSC)
Locations: Ruben Arena | West Palm Beach, Fla.

STATS OF THE MATCH:

First Set:
  • The Panthers started out strong leading 7-3 as Kelly Merz recorded two service aces to highlight the rally.
  • Tech pulled out again to an 11-5 run with two more service aces, this time from Kari Voelstad Bogen.
  • The Sailfish would attempt a comeback, bringing the set back to one point as Mary Morgan Formby tallied two kills in the five-point run.
  • PBA tied the set at 14-14.
  • Aa back and forth battle in the middle of the set saw Tech and PBA tie at 15-15 and 16-16 and 18-18.
  • Seven straight points from the Sailfish would give PBA the set win 25-18 and take a 1-0 lead in the match over the Panthers. 
     
Second Set:
  • A 7-0 run would give the Sailfish their 14th straight point in the match between the end of the first and start of the second set, which was highlighted by two kills from Nelson.
  • Tech would bring the set back to within four at 9-5 after a service ace from Chiara Patelli and kills from freshmen Danelli Mejia and Cordelia Kearns.
  • Six of the next seven points would be rewarded to the Sailfish as Kaileigh Ammons recorded two service aces in the Sailfishes run making it a 15-6 set.
  • The Panthers would comeback, still down by four at 15-11 set as Antia Vallecas recorded three kills of the Panthers five points.
  • Stokes tallied two more kills for the Sailfish as PBA would jump out to a 21-13 lead.
  • The Sailfish carried on scoring four of the next five points to win the set 25-14 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Third Set:  
  • The first two kills of the Panthers in the third set were recorded by Kearns to start out the set at 2-2.
  • The Sailfish would go ahead 4-2 after a kill by Nelson.
  • Tech would look to take control in the third set jumping out to a 10-5 lead following seven straight points highlighted by kills from Patelli and Antia Vallecas Rodriguez.
  • Tech would score seven of the next nine points as Jeanne Hassoun and Chiara Patelli would score off service aces making it a 17-9 set.
  • Ashley Rants and Kearns would record kills with Kelly Merz scoring off a serve push Tech to a 22-11 lead.
  • Two kills from Ammons and one from Nelson would help the Sailfish comeback 23-16 
  • Ashley Rants would score the 24th point for the Panthers as the Sailfish would score the next three, until a kill by Patelli would give Tech its first win of the match by a score of 25-19, while still trailing 2-1 in the match.
 
Fourth Set:
  • Set number four started off with both team looking to take advantage tied 6-6 with Vallecas Rodriguez scoring two kills in the dual.
  • The Panthers would take the slight advantage at 8-6.
  • Two kills from Patelli and Lexi Lueger would give Tech a 13--9 lead.
  • Two more kills from Rants and one from Kearns gave the Panthers a 17-14 lead.
  • Six of the next eight points would be rewarded to Tech as Vallecas Rodriguez would record kills and Hassoun score off a service ace to lead 23-17.
  • Kearns and Lueger would score the final two kills for the Panthers to force a fifth and final set against the Sailfish.
  • The final score of the fourth would be 25-18 Florida Tech.
 
Fifth Set:
  • The Fifth set began with both teams tied 5-5.
  • A kill from Lilian Muszynski, service ace from Hassoun. And kills from Vallecas Rodriguez and Patelli would Push Tech ahead 9-6 in the pivotal set.
  • The Sailfish would score four of the next five points to tie the set 10-10.
  • A kill from Muszynski would give tech a 12-11 lead.
  • A bad set by the Sailfish put Tech up 13-11.
  • A service ace by Kearns would put Tech in match point.
  • A block by Muszynski would secure the come from behind win by Tech 15-11.
 
NOTABLE PANTHERS
  • Vallecas Rodriguez recorded 12 kills to lead Tech's offense.
  • Lueger recorded a .462 hitting percentage on six kills and 13 attempts while Patelli tallied nine kills in 17 attempts with three errors for a .353 hitting percentage.
  • The three Panthers of Hassoun, Merz and Voelstad Bogen each tallied three of the 13 total service aces by Tech.
  • Muszynski led the Panthers with two solo blocks, including her match winning block.
  • Capar led the Panthers with 15 digs.
 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
  • Florida Tech has now won the three most previous contest against the Sailfish, as PBA still leads the all-time series against Tech 33-17.
  • It is the first time Tech has won three consecutive matches against PBA since 1997-98.
  • The Panthers move to 6-16 all-time at PBA.
  • Tech's last win after dropping the first two sets in a match was exactly six years ago today, on Saturday, October 14, 2017, against Union at the GSC-SSC Crossover in Hoover, Alabama.
  • Tech's last come from behind win while down two sets in an SSC match occurred on November 15, 2014 against Eckerd.
 
UP NEXT:
The Panthers return to action next weekend at the GSC-SSC Crossover Tournament in Orlando, Florida with their opponents still to be determined.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the Florida Tech volleyball team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
 
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