The Lynn University women’s volleyball team rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to defeat Eckerd 3-2 on Sept. 25 at the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center in Boca Raton, Fla. The Lynn Fighting Knights won 17-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-11, 15-13 to improve to 10-2 overall and 2-1 in Sunshine State Conference play.
Lira Pukl Verdel powered the comeback with a match-high 22 kills, 13 digs and two service aces. She hit .259 and recorded a double-double as Lynn secured its 10th win of the season.
Lynn responds after falling behind
Eckerd controlled the opening set and held Lynn to 10 kills and a .027 hitting percentage in a 25-17 victory. The Fighting Knights found their rhythm behind kills from Pukl Verdel, Alexia Radulovic and Zara Rendic, while Clara Maidantchik added back-to-back aces and Lillia Neill delivered a solo block during Lynn’s late push.
Lynn then erased an eight-point deficit in the second set. Eckerd led 18-10 before kills from Neill, Pukl Verdel and Radulovic helped the Fighting Knights close the gap, and Pukl Verdel followed a late ace with Radulovic’s kill as Lynn completed the 25-23 comeback.
The third set remained close into the final points. Radulovic, Pukl Verdel, Amaya Roberson and Neill contributed to the Lynn attack, while Audrey Shaw kept the Fighting Knights alive with a kill at set point. Eckerd scored the next two points to win 26-24 and take a 2-1 match lead.
Fourth-set surge sends match to a decider
Lynn seized control in the fourth set and won 25-11. Ivy Westfall provided a service-line spark and recorded an ace, while Pukl Verdel, Shaw and Radulovic helped the Fighting Knights build a double-digit lead.
The Lynn defense held Eckerd to six kills and forced eight attacking errors in the fourth set. Eckerd hit minus-.054 in the frame, while Lynn hit .214 to force a decisive fifth set.
Shaw hit .455 with six kills on 11 attacks and one error, and Neill added 11 kills and two blocks. Their production strengthened a Lynn attack that finished with a 69-46 advantage in kills.
Pukl Verdel finishes the comeback
Eckerd opened the fifth set with a 3-1 lead, but Lynn answered with three consecutive points. The Fighting Knights moved ahead 7-4 and reached the changeover with an 8-5 advantage before Eckerd rallied to tie the set at 9-9.
After Lynn regained a 10-9 lead, Eckerd scored twice to move in front 11-10. Rendic answered with back-to-back kills, and the teams remained even until the score reached 13-13.
Pukl Verdel then delivered the go-ahead kill for match point at 14-13. An Eckerd attacking error completed Lynn’s 15-13 fifth-set victory, with the Fighting Knights hitting .259 on nine kills and two errors in the deciding frame.
Ula Gorjup recorded a match-high 52 assists and 15 digs for a double-double. Maidantchik finished with 14 digs and two service aces, while Ella Voorhees added 11 digs. Lynn also held advantages of 59-38 in assists and 70-57 in digs, and Eckerd hit .038 in the fifth set.
What comes next
Lynn University returns home Saturday at 4 p.m. to face Saint Leo. The match will follow the Fighting Knights’ five-set victory over Eckerd at the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center.
FSB Take
Lynn University overcame two match deficits by combining Pukl Verdel’s match-leading offense with a fourth-set defensive stand and a balanced attack. The Fighting Knights finished with clear advantages in kills, assists and digs, then closed the deciding set after Eckerd tied it at 13-13. Lynn now carries a 10-2 overall record and a 2-1 Sunshine State Conference mark into Saturday’s home match against Saint Leo.
Source: Original report