Volleyball Takes Down Keiser in Four Sets

LAKELAND, Fla.- Volleyball took a 3-1 victory over the Keiser University Seahawks today and advanced their overall record to 17-10 and 5-4 in the Sun Conference.
 
Kennedy Jones gave the Fire their first lead with a kill to go up 3-2 but the Seahawks put together a six-point run to grab a 14-7 lead after three consecutive attack errors by the Fire. Emilia Harding recorded four of the Fire's next six kills and aided the Fire comeback that brought the score within one. Two kills by Jordyn Stiger and a Jones ace tied the set at 20 and kills by Sandy Cao and Stiger pushed the Fire lead and victory to 25-22.
 
The Fire capitalized on four early errors by the Seahawks in the second set and went up 6-3 after a Jones kill but 7-0 run and five consecutive kills by the Seahawks gave them a 13-9 advantage. Six kills by five different Fire players and two attack errors by the Seahawks gave the Fire back momentum as they took the 17-16 edge. The Seahawks secured the next three points but more Keiser errors and a kill by Stiger secured another lead change in favor of the Fire as she would go on to secure set two with an ace as the Fire won 25-22.
 
The Seahawks took set three by a score of 25-21. A quick five-point deficit for the Fire was aided by four Fire errors and proved too much of a hole for the Fire to overcome as the Seahawks held the lead for the entirety of the third set. The Fire did however outhit the Seahawks 15-13 and posted a .362 attack percentage.
 
The fourth set secured the match victory for the Fire as they were victorious 25-20. Keiser began the fourth set with the momentum as they jumped out to a 7-3 lead as the Fire trailed until tying things up at 12 after Emilia Harding, Jones, and Stiger kills. A four-point run by the Fire proved to be substantial as they took the 18-14 lead thanks to two more Stiger kills. The Seahawks threatened as they brought the match back to a one-point deficit but two late kills by Julia Alves secured the Fire set and match.
 
Jones ended the day with a team high 19 kills with Cao recording 16 kills, 15 digs, and two aces. Freshman Harding recorded a season high 13 kills. As a team, the Fire hit .316 with 64 kills.
 
The Fire will travel to Ave Maria, Fla. On Wednesday to take on the Gyrenes at 7 p.m.