NASHVILLE – The Lipscomb University volleyball team was defeated in four sets by Florida Gulf Coast University in an Atlantic Sun Conference match Friday evening inside Allen Arena.
Final Score: Florida Gulf Coast 3, Lipscomb 1 (25-20, 25-20, 21-25, 25-14)
Location: Allen Arena
Records: Lipscomb (10-10, 7-2), Florida Gulf Coast (17-4, 9-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED
FGCU got out to a strong start with a 13-5 lead. Despite the slow start, Lipscomb responded with a 12-8 run to cut the deficit to 21-17 thanks to two kills by
Courtney Jones and a
Karlie McNabb spike.
After the Eagles took a timeout, they picked up the side out with Lipscomb's third service error of the set, as they finished on a 5-3 run to win the opener, 25-20.
The Bisons played a lot better in the second set, but the Eagles maintained a 15-11 lead at the media timeout. Unfortunately, FGCU extended the lead to 18-12 after back-to-back kills by Shelby Kent.
LUV attempted a rally, cutting the score to 24-20, but Florida Gulf Coast's Kent gave the visitors the 2-0 lead with a 25-20 set victory.
FGCU posted 16 kills and a .414 swing percentage in the second set, while holding Lipscomb to nine spikes.
The third set saw FGCU make it an early 8-4 lead, but the Bisons responded with an 8-4 run of their own to even the set at 12. The home team got back into it thanks to three straight FGCU attack errors, with one courtesy of a block by
Meg Mersman and
Sophia Hudepohl.
After FGCU burned a timeout,
Kelsey Schenck dropped an ace from the service line to give the Bisons the lead.
From there, the teams went back-and-forth, posting six ties and two lead changes in the frame. Tied at 14, Jones gave the Bisons the lead for good with a kill en route to a 25-21 victory and avoided the sweep.
Lipscomb returned the favor to Florida Gulf Coast in the third set, posting 15 kills to their nine.
However, FGCU responded in a loud way, sprinting out to a 7-1 lead to start the fourth. The Bisons did make it an 8-5 deficit after a Mersman kill, a shared block by Mersman and Hudepohl and an ace by McNabb.
That would not phase the Eagles, as they used 17 kills and a .583 swing percentage to pick up the set win, 25-14, and the match in four.
QUOTABLE
Hear from head coach
Brandon Rosenthal following Friday's match.
KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones was the only Bison player with 12 kills.
Kelsey Schenck added 10 digs, while
Meg Mersman posted eight kills on 15 swings and posted six total blocks.
HERD NOTES
Needing just one block to become the all-time leader in solo blocks,
Meg Mersman took care of business in the first set to achieve the record.
The graduate student now holds all of Lipscomb's records in blocking. After Friday's match, she has 427 total blocks, 92 solo and 335 assists. Entering the weekend, the Greenback, Tennessee native is 31st among active NCAA Division I volleyball players in total blocks.
The streak continues for
Karlie McNabb, as she posted her 11th straight match with a service ace.
UP NEXT
It will be a quick turnaround for the Bisons on Saturday, as they host the Hatters of Stetson for a 2 p.m. first serve.
