LAKELAND, Fla.-- The Fire volleyball team is on the bubble of making the conference tournament. With two games remaining, Southeastern is fifth in the conference standings (6-6) and Keiser, who holds the fourth and final tournament spot, has a 6-5 conference record. If the Fire go 2-0 in their last games, Southeastern is nearly guaranteed a position in the postseason tournament.
Remaining games:
11/2 @ Webber @7pm
11/5 vs. Johnson & Wales @2pm
The Fire (13-11, 6-6 TSC):
Southeastern is trending in the right direction as they close out their regular season schedule. They have won their last three matches, all sweeps, and are coming off a massive win against Keiser in their most recent game. The Fire will look to their veteran lineup as they play for a berth in the tournament. Senior
Lydia Rooth leads the Fire offense with 263 kills and 26 service aces, while junior
Kaitlin Boyd has a team-high .336 hitting percentage, good enough for 23
rd in the nation. The defense is captained by
Alyssa Prescott, who is first on the team in digs with 325. She is assisted by Uche Kojo, who leads the Sun Conference in total blocks (92) and ranks 23
rd in the country in blocks per game (1.16).
Lindsey Fleming, the team's top setter with 660 assists, will also support the Southeastern attack. Fleming is coming off back-to-back games with over 30 setting assists. When Fleming has more than 30 assists in a match this season, the Fire have posted a record of 7-3.
The Warriors (24-2, 12-0 TSC):
Webber has had a tremendous season so far, and has won 19 of their last 20 matches. As a team, the Warriors rank in the top 35 in the NAIA in digs per game (18.33), service aces per game (1.93), assists per game (12.12), and kills per game (13.03). Their offense is led by Nikki McDaniel and Tessa Colden, who have 380 and 313 kills, respectively. McDaniel is 13
th in the country in kills per game (4.22), while ranking 39
th in total kills (380). Not only does Webber have a high-powered attack, but they also have the conference leader in assists, Carlee Baxter, with 964, and the conference leader in digs, Michelle Calderon, with 527.
The Wildcats (1-23, 0-11 TSC):
As a first year volleyball program, Johnson & Wales has done what every start-up team is expected to do- struggle. The Wildcats, who are 0-11 in conference play, have only 245 total kills in all contests this season, which is 18 less than Fire OH
Lydia Rooth has recorded on the year. Despite their unimpressive offense, the Wildcats are led by Sharell Nairn. Nairn ranks first on the team in kills (74), service aces (16), and total points (107.5). On the defensive side of the ball, Breana Nieves contributes to the Wildcats with 92 digs on the year, a team high.
Wrapping Up:
If the Fire desire to have a strong chance at making the conference tournament, they will likely need to play their best game of the season in a hostile environment on the road against Webber tomorrow night. The Fire do stand a chance if they drop the match vs Webber, but a trip to the tournament is less apt to occur, unless Keiser University loses to Ave Maria in their next game.
