FORT MYERS, Fla. – Forcing a fifth set for the second time in the last three matches, the Lipscomb University Volleyball team's come-from-behind effort fell short to Florida Gulf Coast University on Friday night from Alico Arena. 

Final Score: Florida Gulf Coast 3, Lipscomb 2 (25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 13-15)
Location: Allen Arena
Records: Lipscomb (7-10, 3-4), Florida Gulf Coast (11-6, 6-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lipscomb stormed out to an early 7-2 lead in set one with kills from Berkley Mischler. However, the lead did not last long, as the Eagles stormed back to even the score at 15 apiece before the Bisons burned a timeout. 

Despite Lipscomb taking a 17-15 lead, FGCU reclaimed the lead on back-to-back attack errors from the Bisons. Later, leading 20-18 the Eagles were able to keep the lead for the rest of the set to win 25-22. 

Set two saw the Bisons offense come to life with 16 kills, including five from Berkley Mischler. Ahead 15-11, a Courtney Jones kill and an assisted block by Jones and Brooklyn Fuchs to swell the lead to 19-12. 

FGCU made things interesting late, but a service error by Eliska Vytiskova gave LUV the 25-22 win. 

Set three saw the Eagles hit .382 (14-1-34) and had seven attack errors by the Bisons to win 25-18. Trailing 11-6 early, Lipscomb used a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to 12-11. However, FGCU used a Julija Grubisic Cabo kill to use a 7-3 run of their own to lead 19-14 en route to a 25-18 set three win to lead the match 2-1. 

Set four was even as it could be. Trailing 15-14 at the media timeout, the Bisons saw kills from Ella Durham and Berkley Mischler and a Hallie Hendrickx ace to lead 10-17. 

After an unsuccessful challenge by the Eagles to extend LUV lead to 23-18, the Bisons forced a fifth set with a FGCU attack error to win the frame 25-20. 

In the fifth, the teams went back-and-forth. Tied at six, a Grubisic Cabo kill and an FGCU block made it 8-6 and kept it going after the media break to lead 10-6. 

Lipscomb did even the final set at 13 on a Courtney Jones kill, but Florida Gulf Coast earned the side out on the next point to win the final two and take the set, 15-13, and match in five sets. 

QUOTABLE
Hear from Brandon Rosenthal after the match.
 

KEY STATISTICS
Courtney Jones posted her fourth double-double of the year with a match-high 18 kills and added 14 digs. 

Berkley Mischler had 17 kills and four total blocks, while Ella Durham added 13 kills and 10 digs for her first career double-double. 

Sophia Hudepohl also had a double-double, her sixth of the season, with 48 assists and 10 digs. Kelsey Schenck added 12 digs, while Kenzie Kucks led the defense with 18 digs and was a perfect 32-of-32 in receptions. 

HERD NOTES
Sophia Hudepohl recorded her 4,000th assist on Friday night, becoming the second Bison in the Division I era to eclipse the milestone. 

Lipscomb and FGCU played a five-setter for the first time since 2023, and despite the loss, the Bisons have a 4-3 record against the Eagles when it comes down to the fifth set. 

UP NEXT
The road swing continues on Sunday at Stetson.