PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Florida Tech volleyball team falls in two matches at the Outback Invitational in Pensacola hosted by West Florida. The Panthers lost to Northwest Missouri State 3-1 and Spring Hill 2-3.
MATCH ONE
FINAL: Florida Tech 0, Northwest Missouri State 3 (17-25, 15-25, 26-24, 16-25)
Records: Florida Tech (4-1, 0-0 SSC) Northwest Missouri State (2-3, 0-0 MIAA)
Locations: UWF Field House | Pensacola, Fla.
STATS OF THE MATCH:
First Set:
- Tech scored the first point of the set with a kill by Kenzie Delacher.
- From there, the score remained close, with the Panthers leading by two on three occasions.
- At 9-8, the Bearcats began to separate with a 5-0 run, and Florida Tech could not bridge the gap.
- Irene Kitson led the team with three kills and an assisted block.
Second Set:
- Another great start to a set by the Panthers as they took the first two points with a service error and a kill from Cordelia Kearns
- Northwestern Missouri State's errors on the attack kept Florida Tech ahead until it was tied 8-8.
- The Bearcats again went on another run, going 7-1 for a 16-9 lead.
- Kills from Ashley Rants, Kearns, and Kitson slowed the Bearcats' offense down. However, the Bearcats finished the set 25-15.
Third Set:
- An attack error from the Bearcats' Abby Brunssen gave the Panthers the third-set lead.
- Despite going down 13-8, the Panthers showed they would not stop fighting with an 8-1 run. Kearns, Kitson, and Chiara Patelli tallied kills.
- The Panthers fell behind 23-20 before putting their foot down with a 6-1 run to win the set, 26-24. Kearns recorded two kills, and Kitson grabbed another.
Fourth Set:
- Northwest Missouri State took the first points by way of an attack error. They proceed to take an 8-4 fourth-set lead.
- Tech battled back, outscoring the Bearcats 5-1, helped by a Lexi Lueger kill and four Bearcats errors.
- Kearns and Lillian Muszynski finished the match with one more kill each, but the Panthers dropped the final set, 25-16.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
- Cordelia Kearns led the way with ten kills, nine digs, two solo blocks, and an ace. Kearns has tallied 10 or more kills in every game this season.
- Chiara Patelli provided seven kills, four assisted blocks, and a .250 hitting percentage.
- Kenzie Delacher contributed 21 assists and eight digs.
MATCH TWO
FINAL: Florida Tech 2, Spring Hill 3 (12-25, 12-25, 30-28, 25-19, 20-18)
Records: Florida Tech (4-2, 0-0 SSC) Spring Hill (1-4, 0-0 SIAC)
Locations: UWF Field House | Pensacola, FL
STATS OF THE MATCH:
First Set:
- Tech dominated the opening, beginning the match on a 19-6 run sprint that was powered by three Lilian Muszynski kills, two each from Irene Kitson and Lexi Lueger as well as a Jeanne Hassoun ace.
- The Panthers would cruise for the rest of the set as a Badger error earned them an opening frame victory.
Second Set:
- The strong start would continue in the following stanza, this time opening with a 14-5 run thanks to thanks to four kills from Kearns, two kills and two aces from Patelli and an ace from Hassoun.
- Tech would match their first set score thanks to three Lueger kills, two by Patelli, two through Kearns, and two Kelly Merz aces.
- Devyn Glassgold's kill gave the Crimson and Gray a two-set advantage.
Third Set:
- Neither team would have a lead larger than two points over the set's first 30 points before an error gave Spring Hill a 17-14 lead.
- Kills from Tessa Mati and Scarlett Kimbrell, combined with two Badger errors, allowed Florida Tech to draw level at 18.
- The two teams exchanged the next 18 points and moved into overtime, with a Kearns kill giving the Panthers a chance to serve at match point, up 28-27.
- A Brooke Borgmeyer kill tied the set at 28 before consecutive errors gave the Badgers the set and a lifeline.
Fourth Set:
- SHC used that momentum to start the fourth set on an 11-5 run thanks to three kills and an ace from Airyonna Weaver, three kills by Brooklyn Hall and an Ella Faliveno ace.
- That hot start would hold for the Badgers, as Tech would draw no closer than five points for the remainder of the set. An error would give Spring Hill the set and force a tiebreaking fifth.
- Kearns paced the Panthers in the set with six kills.
Fifth Set:
- The two teams would stay within two points of each other for the final set's first 14 points before consecutive Patelli kills and a Badger error gave the Crimson and Gray an 11-6 lead.
- Following a Spring Hill timeout, they would go on a 6-0 run to take the lead thanks to two Kyla Buehner aces, kills from Jaylynne Bell and Haley Hillman, and two errors.
- The teams would not separate over the next 13 points, as the set and match would reach an ultimate tiebreak, tied at 18.
- The Badgers completed the comeback through kills from Bell and Hall.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The Panthers and Bearcats played for the first time ever
- The Badgers now lead the all-time series, 2-1.
- This was Cordelia Kearns' second 20+ kill game, besting the 21 she tallied on October 27, 2023, vs. Saint Leo. This was also her third double-double of the season.
- During the fourth set of today's game against Northwest Missouri State, Kenzie Delacher recorded her 70th career service ace. She is the first Florida Tech volleyball player to reach the mark since Kiersten Rosa on October 2, 2018.
- Tech posted eight service aces, the fourth game this season in which they have recorded at least eight aces.
- The Crimson and Gray had a .220 hitting percentage, the fifth time in six games that they had hit that mark or better.
- Muszynski's nine kills were her most since a 10-kill outing against Nova Southeastern on November 5, 2022.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers will be back on the court tomorrow for another two games, beginning with a matchup against Wingate at 10 a.m. and then wrapping up the weekend against the hosts, #21 West Florida, at 3 p.m.
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.
