FORT MYERS, Fla. – Junior
Bailey Foy led the Jacksonville University volleyball team with seven blocks, but the Dolphins were unable to get past ASUN Conference leader Florida Gulf Coast, 3-0, Friday evening at Alico Arena.
Foy posted six kills, hit a team-high .294 (6-1-17), and added seven digs to her seven blocks on the day and was named
Hodges Mazda Player of the Game.
Commanding attention from the opening points, Jacksonville (7-12, 3-2 ASUN) quickly led 4-2 in the first set – thanks in part to a service ace from freshman
Abby Jackson and a kill from classmate
Sydney Bolding. A 5-0 run erased the Dolphins' advantage and the host Eagles (15-3, 5-1 ASUN) returned with a six-point run to extend their lead to 19-9. JU had a hand with back-to-back kills from Bolding and senior
Mallory Mattingly, but FGCU finished off the set, 25-14.
Tied up at five apiece in the second, FGCU ran out with a five-point run to take the lead. Chipping away at the Eagles' lead, JU posted three-straight points to tie the match at 15. Although they scored three of the final five points, the Dolphins were unable to recover from an earlier 5-1 Eagle run as FGCU took a 2-0 lead, 25-22.
Jacksonville opened the third set with a 3-1 lead, as the run included a kill from junior
Bailey Foy; a block from Foy and Mattingly; and an ace from Mattingly to give the Dolphins the early momentum. FGCU found its stride behind a six-point run, 7-3. Coming out of a Dolphin timeout, JU swung things back in its favor with three of the next four points to bring the set back within two, 8-6. As the hosts extended their lead to 17-9, Jacksonville answered with a 6-1 run of their own to keep the pressure on the Eagles, 18-15. Florida Gulf Coast won six of the ensuing eight points out of a Dolphin timeout to seal the win, 25-17.
Mattingly recorded a team-high eight kills, while Bolding (6 kills, 2 blocks) and freshman
Lexi Wierzbicki (5 kills, 1 block) contributed. Senior
Natalie Wehner added 11 digs, while sophomore
Natalie Martin chipped in eight digs, four blocks, and 22 assists.
Jacksonville returns to Historic Swisher Gymnasium on Sunday, Oct. 13 when they play host to North Florida in the teams' River City Rumble matchup at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear their favorite white t-shirt to support the 'Phins and white out Swisher Gym!
