Ave Maria (FL) volleyball won the opening set before No. 22 St. Thomas rallied for a 3-1 victory Wednesday at the Tom Golisano Field House in Ave Maria, Florida. St. Thomas won the match 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-16. The result moved Ave Maria (FL) to 6-5 overall and 2-4 in The Sun Conference.
The match began with Ave Maria (FL) winning the first four points, including three aces from Caroline Myers and an attack error by St. Thomas. The Bobcats later built a 19-13 lead, but Ave Maria (FL) answered with a 7-1 run to tie the set at 20-20. Ave Maria (FL) won five of the final seven points, with Elle Malczewski and Lillian Dauses combining for the block that secured the 25-22 win.
Ave Maria (FL) Takes Opening Set
The first-set victory came against a St. Thomas team that had dropped only one set in its previous seven matches. Ave Maria (FL) also won the opening set for the ninth time in 11 matches this season. The team overcame the six-point deficit by forcing four St. Thomas attack errors during its late run and adding two more aces.
St. Thomas responded in the second set after Ave Maria (FL) again took an early lead. Ave Maria (FL) erased a four-point deficit and stayed close late, but St. Thomas pulled away in the 20s to even the match with a 25-22 win. The Bobcats then won the third set 25-23 after neither team led by more than three points.
Ave Maria (FL) opened the third set’s largest run by turning a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead. St. Thomas held the advantage at the end of the set and carried that momentum into the fourth. The Bobcats traded early leads with Ave Maria (FL) before winning the final set 25-16 to complete the four-set victory.
Ave Maria (FL) Statistical Leaders
Elle Malczewski led Ave Maria (FL) with nine kills, while Emily Child added seven. Maria Teixeira recorded 16 assists, and Myers finished with 12 assists along with her four aces. Myers also led Ave Maria (FL) with four aces, while Ryan Getz and DeAnna Barrett recorded multiple aces.
Ave Maria (FL) finished with 12 aces, matching its season high of 12 against Carolina at the Carolina Classic. Maylis DeTar led the team with 17 digs, and Getz added 10 digs. Lucy Hudson, Lillian Dauses and Malczewski each recorded four blocks.
Next Match
The match opened a four-match Ave Maria (FL) homestand at the Tom Golisano Field House that runs from September 30 to October 13. Ave Maria (FL) next plays the Webber Warriors on Saturday, October 3, at 2 p.m. The match will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.
Webber entered the matchup at 2-4 in conference play after falling to New College on Wednesday. Ave Maria (FL) also enters the match at 2-4 in The Sun Conference. The contest will continue the homestand in Ave Maria, Florida.
FSB Take
Ave Maria (FL) turned an early deficit into an opening-set win against No. 22 St. Thomas, but the Bobcats controlled the final three sets. The 12-ace performance matched Ave Maria (FL)’s season high, with Myers supplying four of those aces. The focus now shifts to the Webber Warriors and the next match of the four-match homestand.
Source: Original report