LAKELAND, Fla. – A sweep of a NAIA Top 10 program, a share of the Sun Conference Regular Season title, rights to host the Sun Conference Tournament semifinals and finals as the one-seed, and much more done as the No. 15 Fire ground out a statement victory in The Furnace.
After falling to St. Thomas in five sets in Miami Gardens on October 3, the Fire returned home and handed the Bobcats their only conference loss of the season. Securing come from behind wins in sets one and three to defeat No. 8 St. Thomas at home (25-23, 25-20, 25-22), erasing an eight year wait to host the Sun Conference Regular Season Championship trophy, earning a share of it.
Southeastern remains the only Sun Conference program to defeat St. Thomas over the last four years and the only conference team to sweep the Bobcats during that span. The Fire also became just the third team across all competitions to sweep St. Thomas in the past three seasons.
Laura Bonomi powered Southeastern's offense with a match-high 18 kills and added 18 digs for a double-double. Jewel Carling turned in a season high 10 kills with Jillian Zoerman matching, while Haven Speer directed the offense with a match high 39 assists and nine digs.
Southeastern finished with 47 kills and a .229 hitting percentage, holding St. Thomas to 37 kills and a .118 clip. The Fire also collected 69 digs compared to the Bobcats' 63.
St. Thomas opened the first set with an aggressive attack, building an early 7-3 advantage and extending its lead to 16-11.
Southeastern began chipping away at the deficit, using a service ace from Ashley Downs and a kill from Zoerman to pull within one at 16-15.
The Bobcats maintained their advantage and led 21-18 before the Fire mounted another comeback.
Back-to-back St. Thomas attack errors tied the set at 21, and another Bobcat error gave Southeastern its first lead of the frame at 23-22.
After St. Thomas evened the score at 23, Zoerman delivered a kill to put the Fire at set point. A final Bobcat attack error completed the comeback and gave Southeastern a 25-23 opening-set victory.
The second set featured 10 ties and six lead changes as neither team could establish much separation through the early stages.
St. Thomas held a 16-15 advantage before Southeastern responded with three consecutive points, highlighted by a block from Laura Santangeletta and Zoerman and a kill from Santangeletta.
The Fire maintained their narrow lead before Bonomi helped close the set.
With Southeastern ahead 21-20, Bonomi delivered a kill to extend the advantage. Carling then recorded three consecutive kills to finish the frame, securing a 25-20 victory and sending the Fire into the third set with a 2-0 lead.
St. Thomas looked to extend the match in the third, jumping ahead 8-4 behind two service aces from Isabel Narbutas.
Southeastern responded with a 6-1 run to take a 10-9 lead, fueled by a service ace from Downs and consecutive kills from Bonomi.
The Fire continued building momentum, moving ahead 17-12 after a series of defensive stops at the net, including blocks involving Carling and Joyce Crosby.
St. Thomas refused to go away, rallying to tie the set at 21.
Bonomi answered with a kill to put Southeastern back in front, and Carling combined with Crosby for a block to extend the lead to 23-21.
After the Bobcats pulled within one, Carling delivered consecutive kills to finish the match and complete the sweep, 25-22, sending the Fire into a conference championship celebration on their home court.
Carling finished with a .304 hitting percentage on 23 attempts and added three block assists. Zoerman recorded 10 kills and three digs, while Santangeletta contributed five kills.
Crosby anchored the Fire's defense at the net, finishing with four total blocks, including one solo rejection. Carling added three total blocks as Southeastern matched St. Thomas with five team blocks.
Bonomi and Mallori Grey shared the team lead with 18 digs apiece. Speer added nine, while Downs and Miliani Avila-Bauzo each collected eight.
Downs also accounted for both of Southeastern's service aces.
For St. Thomas, Ana Clara Valentim do Vale led the Bobcats with nine kills and a .471 hitting percentage. Ranya Mehta added eight kills, while Narbutas finished with seven kills and two service aces.
Payton Bertke distributed 28 assists, and Sofia Sanchez and Isabela Aviloff each recorded 15 digs.
With the regular-season co-championship secured, Southeastern now turns its attention to postseason play, where the Fire will enter the Sun Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed.
For the first time in program history, the road to the Sun Conference Tournament championship will run through The Furnace, as Southeastern prepares to host both the semifinals and championship match.
The march will start on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m., as the Fire host the winner of the fourth-seeded Keiser Seahawks and the fifth-seeded Webber International Warriors.
