WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Southeastern University Fire volleyball team went 0-2 dropping both matches on the second day of the Keiser University Volleyball Invitational. Fire fell to Taylor University in four sets and Madonna University in three sets.
Game One
Southeastern held a 4-2 lead in the first set, but Taylor went on a 10-2 run to take a commanding 12-6 lead. The Fire couldn't quite get momentum back on their side and dropped the first set 25-13.
The second set the Fire came out and led 3-1 and tried to stop the momentum Taylor had going in the first set. Fire kept the deficit within five the entire set and rallied and brought the set within three trailing 23-20. Two kills by Taylor University sealed the second set 25-20.
The third set the Fire and Taylor traded kills simultaneously to start and tie the set at 4-4. Taylor eventually edged out this back and forth and led the Fire by as many as 11-7. Then two kills from Kennedy Jones and Emily Eurice with an error in the middle from Taylor brought the Fire back within one, trailing 11-10. Fire continued to battle to remain within one of Taylor until Holly Kaczmarek served an ace to tie the set at 13. Two consecutive attack errors from Taylor gave the Fire the lead. The Fire led by as many as four while Taylor tried to battle back for the lead but the Fire were able to close it out from a kill from Eurice to take the third set 25-20.
The Fire still seemed to have some momentum from the previous set by starting off this set leading for the first time in this match 2-1. Taylor had found their rhythm and took the lead 4-3 and didn't surrender the lead for the rest of the set. The Fire continued to rally and battle to bring the lead close time and time again but it wasn't enough to take the lead back from Taylor University. Taylor took this set 25-20 and won the match 3-1.
Sandy Cao led the Fire with 11 kills and Jones led with 12 digs. All together the Fire finished with 44 kills with a .197 attacking percentage.
Game Two
The Fire started the first set trailing 7-1 against Madonna University. The Crusaders kept the momentum going, leading the Fire by as much as ten. SEU called a timeout to regroup but still wasn't enough to swing momentum in their favor. The fire dropped the first set 25-17.
The second set the Fire came out with two kills and an ace to take the lead 3-0 against the Crusaders. The Fire continued to hold the lead keeping the Crusaders behind by three 11-8. The Crusaders went on a 6-1 run and took the lead 13-12. Crusaders were able to extend their lead to 18-12. Coming off of a Fire timeout, the Fire were on a mission to rally back and came within one point from tying the lead 18-17. Madonna then called a timeout of their own and came out to close the game 25-20.
The third set the Crusaders continued their momentum and came out leading 4-1. The Fire responded by going on a 7-1 run themselves taking the lead 8-5. Madonna called a timeout to slow the Fire down but both teams returned to keep battling for the lead. Both teams rallied to tie the game four times before Madonna pulled out a lead of their own by going on a 7-1 lead 21-15. Southeastern was able to bring the set back within three but ultimately fell to the Crusaders 25-19 after an error and service ace.
Jones led the Fire with 13 kills, Kaczmarek led with 28 digs, and Eurice led with 19 assists.
The Fire return to action Saturday at the St. Thomas Invitational against Olivet Nazarene and Midland University.
