CARROLLTON, Ga.-After dropping the first two sets, the Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs rallied to force a decisive fifth set, but Florida Tech claimed the five-set victory Friday in the first match of the 2015 South Region Crossover hosted by West Georgia.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Lady Bucs (6-13) jumped to a 7-3 lead early and stayed within one point as late as 18-17, but the Panthers (8-7) scored seven of the final eight points to win 25-18.
• CBU again took an early lead in the second set, claiming a 7-2 edge after a
Nina Tuszynski (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley HS) ace. FIT scored the next five points to tie, and neither team led by more than two points again. CBU served for set point three times, but the Panthers scored the final three points to win 28-26.
• In the third set it was the Panthers who took a quick 6-2 lead, and CBU answered with a 9-1 run to take an 11-7 edge they would never relinquish, winning 25-18.
• FIT again claimed a 6-2 edge in the fourth set, and again CBU answered with a run, taking a 12-11 lead after a five-point run and using a later four-point run to break an 18-all tie and take the lead for good, winning 25-23 to force the fifth set.
• In the fifth set, the Lady Bucs broke a 4-4 deadlock with a four-point run to go up 8-4, but the Panthers scored eight straight to take a 12-8 lead, and they held on for a 15-11 win to clinch victory.
KEY STATS:•
Alexis Gillis (Corpus Christi, Texas/Carroll HS) paced the Lady Bucs with 16 kills, adding 21 digs, six blocks and two aces.
• Tuszynski tacked on nine kills.
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Mary Kathryn Miller (Fulton, Ky./Fulton City HS) notched a match-best nine blocks with seven kills.
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Blythe Clausen (Hendersonvile, Tenn./Pope John Paul II HS) garnered 24 digs.
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Demi Chipman (Bartlett, Tenn./Bartlett HS) and
Alexa Henderson (Prairie du Sac, Wis./Sauk Prairie HS) collected 12 digs each.
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Jessica Reber (Byron, Ill./Byron HS) dished out 37 assists with seven digs, two blocks and two aces.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs play two more matches in the South Region Crossover Saturday, facing Rollins at 9 a.m. and Embry-Riddle at 1:30 p.m. Their next home match is Saturday, Oct. 24, when they face Mississippi College at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
