WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- SEU Volleyball faced two challenging matches during the Palm Beach Juniors Round Robin tournament on Friday. The Fire started the day by defeating (RV) Grace in a four-set contest, with scores of 17-25, 25-23, 25-19, and 25-16. The trip to West Palm Beach concluded against Mobile, who won the match 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 15-25, 26-24).
Southeastern secured the victory over Grace with a strong offensive showing, recording 56 kills. Grace led the match initially by winning the first set, but SEU responded by taking the following three sets decisively. Both teams served six aces, but Southeastern's consistent attack and defense, including 98 digs, proved decisive in their win.
Laura Bonomi paced the Fire, recording 19 kills and 23 digs for her third double-double of the season.
Yarelis Lopez added 17 kills and 19 digs.
Marysa Connors also contributed defensively with 23 digs, while
Haven Speer led the Fire with 40 assists and 15 digs.
In the opening set, SEU displayed a strong start, with Speer assisting Bonomi for two consecutive kills, giving Southeastern an early 3-1 lead. However, Grace quickly responded with a 5-0 run, and they never looked back to take the set. The Fire opened the second set with a strong start, highlighted by a kill from
Lucrezia Ceroni. A 5-0 run later in the second frame, capped by a kill from Lopez, gave SEU a 17-15 lead they never relinquished.
The third set saw Southeastern establish a commanding presence early, with Bonomi contributing multiple kills that helped them build a 10-5 lead. Grace attempted to regroup with timeouts at 16-11 and 20-16, but the Fire maintained their momentum and ultimately secured the set with a 25-19 victory, highlighted by Ceroni and Lopez teaming up for a decisive block.
It was a 5-2 spurt late in the fourth set that proved to be the difference in the Fire closing out the win. Despite a brief rally from Grace, Lopez and Ceroni sealed the set with kills, leading Southeastern to a 25-16 victory.
After dropping the first two sets against Mobile, SEU fought back to win the third, but they could not overcome Mobile's consistent performance. The Rams recorded 55 kills, compared to SEU's 50, and had a 9-4 edge in blocks.
Bonomi was instrumental for the Fire with 18 kills, maintaining a .254 hitting percentage. Lopez recorded 19 digs, adding to her 14 kills. Connors excelled defensively with 20 digs, providing strong backline support.
SEU never got going in the opening set and saw an early 4-0 deficit lead to Mobile taking the set 25-17. The second saw the Fire start with a 5-0 run, highlighted by a Bonomi kill and a service ace from Lopez. Despite these efforts, Mobile managed to halt SEU's momentum and build a 21-17 advantage. The Rams then scored four of the final six points in the set to take a 2-0 lead.
SEU found something in the third set. Lopez and Ceroni were pivotal in building momentum, contributing kills that helped SEU achieve a 6-2 run, extending their lead to 11-6. The lead opened to 15-8, where the Fire continued to dominate, with Bonomi and Lopez recording multiple kills, ultimately securing a 25-15 victory in the set.
The fourth set was competitive throughout, with each team holding the lead at some point. SEU eventually rallied to even the set at 23-23 with Lopez securing critical points, but Mobile edged out the set 26-24 with a final kill.
The next challenge for the Fire takes them on the road to Montgomery, Ala., for the Faulkner Invitational. They begin the event against Stillman on August 29 in the first of three matches in Alabama.
