Volleyball Hosts Alumni Day Following Midweek Road Test

LAKELAND, Fla. -- SEU Volleyball enters the week with momentum, sitting at 9-1 overall and 1-0 in Sun Conference play, as the Fire prepare for a pivotal two-match stretch. The week begins on Wednesday night with a trip to Bradenton to face New College of Florida at 7 p.m. inside the State College of Florida gym. SEU then returns home on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. showdown with Ave Maria at The Furnace, marking the program's annual Alumni Day celebration. The Fire will welcome back former players to honor the program's history while aiming to stay unbeaten at home this season.

By the Numbers
Southeastern has raced out to a perfect 3-0 mark inside The Furnace and a spotless 1-0 record on the road. The Fire have also been outstanding at neutral-site tournaments, going 5-1 across six matches away from Lakeland. SEU has won four straight matches heading into this week and sits atop the Sun Conference standings at 1-0, opening league play with a dominant sweep of Florida Memorial.

Statistically Speaking
SEU's offensive efficiency has been one of the defining storylines of the season. The Fire pace the Sun Conference in kills per set at 13.79 and sit second in the league in assists per set at 12.82, both figures ranking inside the top 10 nationally. SEU also holds the second-best mark in the league with 2.12 service aces per set and owns the third-highest team hitting percentage at .231. On the defensive side, Southeastern averages 17.88 digs per set, good for fourth in the Sun, while holding opponents to a .092 hitting percentage.

Inside the Furnace
Southeastern has built one of the most formidable home-court advantages in the Sun Conference. The Fire went 7-1 at home last season, with the lone setback coming against a nationally ranked opponent. Over the past three-plus seasons, SEU boasts an impressive 24-4 record on its home floor, underscoring its dominance and creating one of the toughest environments for visiting teams in the league.

Bonomi-Nation
Junior outside hitter Laura Bonomi has been the engine of the Fire attack, pacing both the Sun Conference and Southeastern with 4.24 kills per set, a mark that ranks 11th nationally. Her consistency and efficiency have stood out, hitting .319 on the year, which places her fourth among league leaders. Bonomi has already delivered four matches this season with at least 18 kills, highlighted by a season-high 19 against Grace on August 22. She also provides a punch from the service line with 27 total aces.

Locked-In Lopez
Yarelis Lopez continues to provide an invaluable scoring complement on the outside, contributing 3.15 kills per set, which ranks fourth in the Sun Conference. Lopez has proven herself as more than just an offensive weapon, showcasing her skill from behind the line with 15 service aces this season, averaging 0.44 per set to rank fifth in the league.

Speer It Up
Setter Haven Speer has stepped into a critical role and quickly become the quarterback of the Fire offense. Averaging 7.21 assists per set, Speer ranks fourth in the Sun Conference and has been instrumental in pushing Southeastern's attack to new heights. Thanks to her steady distribution, the Fire lead the conference in kills per set at 13.79, a number that also ranks seventh nationally. 

Dig Deep
Anchoring Southeastern's defense, senior libero Marysa Connors has been a stabilizing force in the back row. Connors is averaging 4.73 digs per set, ranking fifth in the Sun Conference while piling up 156 digs through the first ten matches of the season. She has logged double-digit digs in eight contests, including a standout performance with 29 digs in the four-set victory over Reinhardt on August 30. 

New Kids on the Block
New College has opened the season with a 5-1 overall record, led by a high-powered offense that ranks second in the Sun Conference in kills per set at 13.78 and first in service aces per set at 2.52. Outside hitter Jayleen Santiago paces the team with 3.77 kills per set, while Wiktoria Telecka adds 3.70 kills per set and leads the league with 1.00 aces per set.

SEU and New College have met just twice, both last season, with SEU holding a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series. The Fire won both meetings by identical 3-1 scores, one at home and one on the road.

Ave It Your Way
Ave Maria enters the week 2-6 overall but opened Sun Conference play with a thrilling 3-2 victory over New College on September 5. The Gyrenes average 8.83 kills per set and are led offensively by Beatriz Rissi, who paces the team with 1.52 kills per set, and Ryan Getz, who adds 1.48 kills per set. 

The Fire hold a commanding 26-9 lead in the all-time series, including a 15-3 mark at home and an active five-match winning streak. The Fire have won six of the last ten meetings and swept both matchups against the Gyrenes last season.

Looking Ahead
Following Saturday's home match against Ave Maria, the Fire will stay in conference play with another home contest on Tuesday, September 16, when they host Florida College at 6:30 p.m. inside The Furnace. Southeastern will then hit the road on Saturday, September 20, traveling to face Keiser University in West Palm Beach for a 2 p.m. first serve.
 

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