LAKELAND, Fla. -- SEU Volleyball returns to The Furnace for a pivotal Sun Conference homestand, hosting back-to-back league contests that could help shape the final standings. The week begins on Wednesday with a matchup against Warner at 6:30 p.m. The Fire will then face their biggest home test to date on Saturday, when No. 13 St. Thomas visits Lakeland for a 2 p.m. showdown. Warner will be searching for its first conference victory, while the nationally ranked Bobcats bring one of the top offenses and defenses in the NAIA.
How to Follow
Fans unable to attend in person can still follow the action throughout the week. Both matches will stream live on the Urban Edge Network Smart TV and mobile app, with online access available at
fire.seu.edu/watchUEN. In addition, live statistics will be provided at
fire.seu.edu/sidearmstats/wvball/summary, offering point-by-point updates and box scores.
Fire Facts
The Fire enter the week 13-2 overall and 4-1 in Sun Conference play, riding a four-match winning streak. Southeastern has been perfect at home in 2025 with a 5-0 record inside The Furnace, while also securing three road wins and five victories on neutral courts. Statistically, SEU has been one of the league's most balanced teams, recording 666 kills while hitting .219, with averages of 13.6 kills, 12.8 assists, 2.1 aces, 19.0 digs, and 1.6 blocks per set. Those numbers rank the Fire eighth nationally in kills per set, tenth in assists, sixth in digs, eighteenth in points, twenty-sixth in attack percentage, fiftieth in aces, and 110th in blocks.
Sun Spots
Within the Sun Conference, Southeastern continues to shine in multiple statistical categories. The Fire lead the league in kills per set at 13.61, narrowly ahead of New College and St. Thomas. Their .223 attack percentage is third-best in the league, and they also sit second in both assists (12.80) and service aces (2.09) per set. On defense, SEU's 18.50 digs per set are second in the Sun behind Keiser, while their 1.54 blocks per frame place them mid-pack as St. Thomas sets the standard at 2.24.
Laura Bonomi: The Finisher
Bonomi has been the engine of the Fire offense, leading the Sun in kills per set (4.13) while hitting .298, ranking fourth in the league. She also sits second in aces per set (0.78) and has posted 11 double-doubles this year. A three-time Sun Attacker of the Week, Bonomi has turned in standout efforts such as 19 kills and 23 digs against Grace and 17 kills with 23 digs at Faulkner.
Yarelis Lopez: The Spark
Lopez provides a steady second option at the net, ranking fifth in the Sun in kills per set (3.22) and adding a consistent presence from the service line with 0.46 aces per set. She has five double-doubles this season, highlighted by 17 kills and 19 digs versus Grace and 12 kills with 18 digs in SEU's road win at Keiser.
Haven Speer: The Quarterback
Speer directs the Fire offense with 6.93 assists per set, ranking fourth in the Sun. She has already surpassed 35 assists three times this season, including a 40-assist, 15-dig double-double in a win over Grace. Her ability to spread the offense keeps Southeastern balanced and difficult to defend.
Marysa Connors: The Anchor
Connors leads the back row with 5.16 digs per set, fifth-best in the Sun Conference. Twice named Sun Defender of the Week, she has notched five 20-dig matches in 2025, including 29 versus Reinhardt and 23 against Grace. Her consistency in serve-receive and floor defense sets the tone for SEU's transition game.
Lucrezia Ceroni: The Wall
Ceroni gives Southeastern a strong net presence, ranking third in the Sun in blocks per set at 0.73. She has 36 total blocks this year, including five at New College and four each against Webber International and Florida College.
Royals Report
Warner enters the week 5-8 overall and 0-5 in Sun Conference play. The Royals are hitting .150 as a team and averaging 10.7 kills per set while allowing 11.3 to opponents. Leah Cooley leads with 112 kills (2.49/set), while Rylee Waldie (1.93/set, .275) adds efficiency at the net. Ashlyn Fassnacht anchors the defense at 5.13 digs per set, one of the top marks in the league, while Waldie and Julliana Abbade help Warner average 1.8 blocks per frame. The Royals have shown fight, taking both Webber International and Ave Maria to five sets earlier this year.
SEU leads the all-time series 27-26 but has dominated recently, winning the last eight meetings and nine of the last ten. Warner's last victory came in September 2020, but since then SEU has controlled the matchup, including sweeps in both 2024 contests. The most recent meeting was a 3-0 Fire victory at home on November 6, 2024.
Bobcat Breakdown
St. Thomas comes into the week ranked No. 13 in the NAIA at 11-3 overall and 5-0 in Sun play. The Bobcats are hitting .267 as a team while averaging 13.0 kills and 12.3 assists per set. Setter Payton Bertke runs the attack with 10.29 assists per frame, while Aleksandra Ivanovic (.393) and Tayla Barnes (.344, 1.24 blocks/set) provide power and efficiency up front. Defensively, the Bobcats are holding opponents to a .123 attack percentage while posting 2.2 blocks per set, one of the best marks in the league.
SEU trails the all-time series 11-28 and has dropped the last seven meetings and nine of the last ten. The Fire's last win came at home in November 2022, but St. Thomas has controlled the rivalry since, including sweeps in both 2024 contests and postseason victories. The most recent meeting was a 3-0 Bobcat win on November 16, 2024, in Miami Gardens.
Looking Ahead
After the homestand, Southeastern heads back on the road for its next Sun Conference test. The Fire will travel to Miami Gardens on Saturday, October 11, for a 2 p.m. matchup against Florida Memorial University.
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