MELBOURNE, FLA. – Florida Tech Volleyball was back on home court this evening to kick off a five-game home stand. The Panthers welcomed #11 Barry University to begin their streak of home contests.
MATCH THIRTEEN: SSC PLAY
Final: Florida Tech Panthers
0, Barry Buccaneers 3
Set Recap: (18-
25), (24-
26), (18-
25)
Records: Florida Tech (6-16, 3-10 SSC)
| Barry Buccaneers (16-4, 11-2 SSC)
Location: Clemente Center
| Melbourne, Florida
MATCH NOTES:
First Set: Florida Tech Panthers 18, Barry Buccaneers 25
- To begin tonight's match, Scarlett Kimbrell and Cordelia Kearns produced a block to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
- Despite the strong first play, Barry ignited a 9-1 run to take control of the set early.
- Cordelia Kearns and Olivia Bush earned kills to end the run and after a 3-0 Panther run, the deficit was cut to just four points at 11-7.
- Both teams traded small runs through the middle part of the set, with Elisa Broggio and Isabelle Clark picking up key kills to keep Tech within striking distance.
- After Barry grew their advantage to 21-17, a Natalie Rhodes ace and a kill from Ayisha Missipo cut the lead back down to four.
- The Panthers attempted a last-chance comeback effort with a kill from Broggio, but the Barry deficit was too big to overcome.
Second Set: Florida Tech Panthers 24, Barry Buccaneers 26
- After allowing Barry to gain a huge early lead in the first set, the Panthers flipped the script in the second set. Kills from Missipo and Kearns, plus a block from Kimbrell and Kearns, helped Tech take a 6-2 lead.
- However, the early lead quickly vanished as the Buccaneers used an 8-2 run to retake the lead, 11-8.
- In response, Kearns, Bush and Clark all produced kills to swiftly take the lead back in a 4-0 run.
- While Barry answered right back with three straight points, Clark and Kearns continued to swing hard as the two teams were knotted up at 16-16, 18-18, and 20-20.
- Following a Buccaneer kill to put them up by one, Olivia Bush sparked another 4-0 run for the Panthers. Bush's two kills and a pair of Barry errors put Tech out front 23-20 late in the set.
- Barry stormed back once again to tie the set at 23-23, but Bush again came up big to give the Panthers set point with a kill from the right side.
- Unfortunately for the Panthers, the Buccaneers earned three straight points to steal the second set and take a 2-0 lead in the match.
Third Set: Florida Tech Panthers 18, Barry Buccaneers 25
- Needing a response after letting the second set slip away, Ayisha Missipo and Scarlett Kimbrell combined for a block to begin the third set.
- Both teams would begin trading points, with Kimbrell and Elisa Broggio earning kills.
- With the score tied at 5-5, Barry went on a 5-1 run to take the set's first multi-point lead.
- Kills from Kimbrell, Olivia Bush and Cordelia Kearns pulled the Panthers back within one point at 14-13.
- With the Buccaneers leading 18-16, they exploded for a 7-2 run to take the match.
NOTABLE PANTHERS:
UP NEXT: The Panthers will stay in Melbourne for four more games starting with two this weekend. Tech will host Saint Leo on Friday at 7:00 PM and Eckerd on Saturday at 4:00 PM.
For the latest news, updates and information on the Florida Tech Volleyball, 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.
SCHOLARS. LEADERS. CHAMPIONS.
