FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Lipscomb University volleyball team fell in the 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship match in straight sets, Saturday evening inside Alico Arena.
Final Score: Florida Gulf Coast 3, Lipscomb 0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-20)
Location: Fort Myers, Florida (Alico Arena)
Records: Lipscomb (19-11), Florida Gulf Coast (27-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bisons racked up nine kills in the first 12 attacks, capped by a
Courtney Jones punch to give the Bisons the lead, 11-10.
Later in the set, tied at 18, a combined block by
Meg Mersman and
Addi Pelham gave the advantage back to the visitors, 19-18, but the Eagles rallied to take the opener, 25-21.
In the second set, despite having just eight kills in the frame, the story of the set came at the service line. While dropping three aces, the Eagles took advantage of five service errors by the Bisons as they went up 2-0 with a 25-19 victory.
In the third, after FGCU got out to a 4-0 start, LUV responded with four straight points of their own thanks to four straight attack errors by the Eagles. One of those miscues was off the hands of
Berkley Mischler and
Sophia Hudepohl for the combined block effort.
Tied at 15 thanks to a Mersman solo block, the Eagles took off again, rolling off a 10-5 run that gave them the win and the championship.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
During the award ceremony,
Courtney Jones and
Meg Mersman were honored on the All-Tournament Team.
Jones averaged 4.56 kills in nine sets played this weekend with a .295 attack percentage.
In her final matches as a Bison, Mersman averaged 2.89 kills per set with a .352 attack percentage. At the net, she tallied 14 total blocks, including five solo stops, and a 1.56 set average.
QUOTABLES
Hear more from Coach Rosenthal following the match on Saturday night.
KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones wrapped up her play at the championship with nine kills and an ace.
Meg Mersman totaled eight kills and added three total blocks.
HERD NOTES
LUV made its 12th ASUN Championship final appearance in 20 total berths on Saturday night.
