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VB Team Bench Celebration
3
Winner Wingate Win 6-1,0-0 SAC
0
Florida Tech FT 4-3,0-0 Sunshine State
Winner
Wingate Win
6-1,0-0 SAC
3
Final
0
Florida Tech FT
4-3,0-0 Sunshine State
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Wingate Win 25 25 25 (3)
Florida Tech FT 20 21 14 (0)
3
Winner Florida Tech FT 5-3,0-0 Sunshine State
2
West Florida UWF 5-2,0-0 Gulf South
Winner
Florida Tech FT
5-3,0-0 Sunshine State
3
Final
2
West Florida UWF
5-2,0-0 Gulf South
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Florida Tech FT 23 22 25 25 15 (3)
West Florida UWF 25 25 22 19 12 (2)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Volleyball Splits the Day, Taking Down No. 21 West Florida in a Reverse Sweep

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Florida Tech volleyball team split the results on the second day of the Outback Invitational. The Panthers dropped the first match 3-0 against Wingate then turned it around to defeat the 21st-ranked West Florida in a 3-2 reverse sweep.
 
MATCH ONE
FINAL: Florida Tech 0, Wingate 3 (20-25, 21-25, 14-25) 
Records: Florida Tech (4-3, 0-0 SSC) Wingate (6-1, 0-0 SAC)
Locations: UWF Field House | Pensacola, Fla.
 
STATS OF THE MATCH:
First Set:
  • Chiara Patelli tapped a ball over the net to score the Panthers' first point.
  • When the match was tied at 4-4, Jeanne Hassoun became a sniper from the service line, delivering three straight aces. Lillian Muszynski capped the 5-0 run with her 10th solo block of the season.
  • Tech maintained the lead for most of the set, helped by three kills from Patelli. However, Wingate went on a 9-2 run to win the set 25-20.
Second Set:
  • Again, Patelli got the Panthers on the board first with another kill from the middle of the net.
  • Cordelia Kearns' three straight kills put Florida Tech ahead 6-4 early in the set, the first two from the outside, assisted by Hassoun, and the third off a service return.
  • Wingate earned four straight points to move ahead of the Panthers, and never fell behind for the rest of the set. Later, the Bulldogs went on another 9-2 run, taking a commanding 21-14 lead.
  • Despite being unable to close the gap, Tech forced a few errors to come within striking distance.
Third Set:
  • Both teams traded blows at the start of the third set, tying it 4-4.
  • The difference in the set came when the Bulldogs earned four consecutive points from three Panthers' errors.
  • Again, the Panthers and Bulldogs traded points as Wingate maintained a four-to-three-point lead. Kearns recorded two kills while keeping the score close, down 12-9.
  • However, Wingate opened the door with a 6-1 run, courtesy of three kills and three service aces.
  • Wingate finished the match on a 5-2 stretch. Hassoun managed one last kill before the match concluded.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
  • Cordelia Kearns led with 11 kills and eight digs. Kearns has tallied 10 or more kills in every game this season.
  • Chiara Patelli contributed nine kills, one assisted block, three digs, and a .450 hitting percentage.
  • Ashley Rants led the team with 11 digs, and Jeanne Hassoun finished with four service aces.
  • Kenzie Delacher provided 15 assists and nine digs.
 
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
  • Cordelia Kearns led the way with 11 kills, and eight digs. Kearns has tallied 10 or more kills in every game this season.
  • Chiara Patelli provided nine kills, one assisted block, three digs, and a .450 hitting percentage. 
  • Ashley Rants led the team with 11 digs, and Jeanne Hassoun finished with four service aces.
  • Kenzie Delacher contributed 15 assists and nine digs. 
 
 
MATCH TWO
FINAL: Florida Tech 3, West Florida 2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-12)
Records: Florida Tech (5-3, 0-0 SSC), West Florida (5-2, 0-0 GSC)
Locations: UWF Field House | Pensacola, FL
STATS OF THE MATCH:

First Set:
  • Tech has a knack for getting on the board first in sets. Patelli hammered a ball to the court to begin the match.
  • Patelli and Kearns each tallied a kill, putting the Panthers up 3-1. However, the Argonauts responded with a 5-1 stretch to take a 6-4 lead.
  • The Panthers came within one after a three-point run started by a massive kill by Patelli. Antia Vallecas Rodriguez added one of her own.
  • After West Florida went on a 7-1 run, Kearns scored two straight kills to halt the Argonauts' momentum.
  • Later in the set, the Panthers tied it 22-22 with a 5-1 run, including three straight points.
  • Unfortunately, West Florida won three of the following four points to take the opening set.
Second Set:
  • The Panthers were down 3-0 early, but Florida Tech rallied with three straight points, beginning with a massive kill by Vallecas Rodriguez.
  • Tech again responded to West Florida's 10-7 lead by going on a 7-1 run to regain the lead. Tessa Mati recorded two kills during the stretch.
  • The rest of the set went back and forth, but the Argonauts closed it out by winning five of the last six rallies. Patelli tried to keep the Panthers alive, tallying the last two kills of the set.
Third Set:
  • The Panthers never gave up. They started the third set leading 8-4, led by Kearns' three kills.
  • West Florida did not go down easily, tying the game at 9-9 and taking a 13-10 lead with a 9-2 run.
  • Tech responded by scoring eight points while conceding just one for an 18-14 lead and never gave it up. Kearns led with three more kills.
  • Irene Kitson shut the door, securing the final two kills of the set for a 25-22 win, keeping the Panthers alive in the match.
Fourth Set:
  • West Florida grabbed an early lead, but Florida Tech responded with three straight points to take the lead.
  • Tech scored in pairs, keeping West Florida at bay and extending their lead to 19-11.
  • The Argonauts fought back with a 7-1 run, but it wasn't enough to close the gap. The Panthers scored four of the last five points to force a deciding fifth set.
Fifth Set:
  • West Florida took an early 4-2 lead, but Florida Tech surged ahead with five straight points.
  • Muszynski added a kill to start another six-point run, conceding only one point, pushing the lead to 13-8.
  • Although West Florida fought back, Florida Tech found the final two points needed to defeat No. 21 West Florida.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
  • Cordelia Kearns posted 23 kills with 14 digs and a .375 hitting percentage. She is the first Panther in over a decade to record double-digit kills in the first eight games of a season.
  • Chiara Patelli contributed 15 kills, four digs, and a .286 hitting percentage.
  • Lillian Muszynski provided nine kills and two assisted blocks.
  • Kenzie Delacher contributed a career-high 36 assists along with 13 digs.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
  • This was the first meeting between Florida Tech and Wingate since September 9, 2005, in Savannah, Georgia.
  • Panthers earned their first win over West Florida in just the second all-time meeting between the two teams.
  • This marks Florida Tech's first win over a ranked opponent since November 10, 2015, against #17 Florida Southern.
  • It's the Panthers' first road win against a ranked opponent since September 25, 1999, at #16 Barry.
  • This was Cordelia Kearns' third 20+ kill game and her fourth double-double of the season.
  • The Panthers recorded a .276 hitting percentage, their second-highest this season, behind only the .372 mark against Tusculum in the first game.
UP NEXT:
The Panthers' home opener against Flagler will be on Friday, September 20, at the Charles and Ruth Clemente Center. Be prepared with a Hawaiian shirt because it's also the start of Aloha Fridays.

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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