Box Score LAKELAND, Fla.—Playing in front of a large Homecoming crowd, the Fire volleyball team improved to 3-2 in Sun Conference play with a 3-0 victory over Ave Maria.
The Fire jumped out to an early 8-3 lead after a pair of kills by
Victoria Trueheart, who finished the night with a team-high 12. The Gyrenes (13-10, 1-6 TSC) found themselves down 18-13, but climbed back with a 7-2 run to make it 21-20. The Fire led 24-20, but needed four set points to close out the first with an unforced error for a 25-23 win.
Ave Maria held the lead throughout the first half of the second set, but the Fire were able to tie it at 12, thanks to kills by
Kelsey Morton and
Lydia Rooth, and an attack error by the Gyrenes. The last time the Gyrenes led, they had a 16-15 advantage, but the Fire answered with five straight points, most coming on errors by Ave Maria. The Fire scored the final five points of the set for a 25-17 win. A block by Morton and
Ashley Lanoue served as the final point.
The third set was the most exciting, featuring 10 ties and five lead changes before the hosts rattled off an 8-3 run to take a 19-15 lead. Kills by Rooth, Uche Kojo, and Morton with a block by Morton and Kojo closed out the final four points of a 25-16 win.
Morton had a team-high .474 attacking percentage with nine kills and no errors.
Alyssa Prescott was the leader in assists with 16.
Lindsey Fleming added 13. Rooth finished with seven kills, and a game-high 12 digs.
As a team, the Fire recorded nine blocks, with Lanoue being involved in five, and
Toree Anderson helping out with four. She also had seven kills and a .316 attacking percentage.
The Fire (11-5) return to action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. as they host Keiser University.
