JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University volleyball was competitive all evening against one of the top teams in the ASUN Conference, but ultimately fell in three sets to FGCU.
 
The Dolphins (4-15, 1-3) kept in tight in both the first and third sets, but the Eagles stayed unbeaten in league play with a win on Friday night at Swisher Gym.
 
SET ONE
 
After Zoë LaBreche got things started with a match opening point, FGCU scored four straight. JU got kills from Jenna McNamara and Camryn Honn to keep the score within two through the first 20 points scored, but the Eagles stretched the lead to four several times over the next 10 points. LaBreche cut it to two, 13-11, but FGCU scored four of the next five. Isa Dostal collected two kills and Keyauna Linwood added another to cut it to three, 18-15, but a service error sparked a 3-0 run and forced a JU timeout.
 
The Dolphins got within five twice more, but FGCU separated late to win the opening set, 25-17.
 
SET TWO
 
FGCU started hot in the second set, scoring the first five points, before the Dolphins rattled off four straight, using a block by Dostal and McNamara and an ace by Kariana Ayala to fuel the run. The Eagles responded with another 4-0 run before Niccola Bozzini notched an ace to make it 9-6. Four more in a row by FGCU made it 13-6 and forced a JU timeout.
 
Autumn DeSantis recorded consecutive kills as part of a 3-0 run to bring the Dolphins within seven, 17-10, but FGCU kept the Dolphin offense in check throughout the set, closing things out and winning 25-13 to take a two-sets-to-none lead.
 
SET THREE
 
JU came out ready to go in the third set, scoring the first three points thanks to kills by McNamara and LaBreche. Bozzini had another ace to make it 5-2, and a LaBreche kill, attack error by FGCU and an ace by Gyrani Rogers put the Dolphins up 12-7 and caused the Eagles to take a timeout.
 
A 5-1 run by FGCU cut it to 13-12 and JU called timeout. McNamara and Dostal had key kills to keep the Dolphins on top, but a 4-0 run by FGCU provided its first lead of the set, 18-15. Honn had a kill to cut it to two, but JU never got any closer, and FGCU won 25-18 to take the match.
 
LaBreche totaled a team-high seven kills, Honn dished out 24 assists, Dostal had a pair of blocks, Bozzini had three aces and Ayala collected 10 digs to lead the way statistically for JU.
 
The Dolphins close out the weekend on Saturday at 5 p.m. against Stetson for its annual Pink Out match at Swisher Gym.