JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After spending the last few weeks on the road, the Jacksonville University volleyball team was back in the familiar confines of Swisher Gymnasium Wednesday, taking on Stetson University for the third time in the last six days. The Dolphins (2-9, 0-7) fought hard throughout the match and picked up win in set three, but the Hatters' (5-3, 4-3) offense put together a strong outing to win the match 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 19-25, 25-17).
 
Stetson controlled things to begin the night in set one, scoring seven of the first 10 points and 10 of 15 to take the lead. Jacksonville would not go quietly in the opening stanza, however, and mounted a furious comeback attempt to bring them within two. Trailing 20-9, JU went on a 10-1 run that started with an attack error by the Hatters and a service ace by Addyson Lewis. Barbora Romancova recorded three kills during the run and was joined by Jenna McNamara before a Hannah Edelman ace capped the run and made it 21-19. Stetson weathered the rally though and managed to hold on to take set one 25-20.
 
Set two opened much like set one, with the Hatters taking a large lead early, racing out to a 12-3 lead before the Dolphins once more began to claw their way back into contention. Trailing 18-10, Jacksonville mounted a 7-1 run, started by another Edelman ace that was followed by back-to-back-kills from Romancova. McNamara added a kill as well and following an attack miscue by Stetson, JU trailed by only two at 19-17. Once more, Stetson would withstand the surge from the Green & Gold to take set two 25-20.
 
Set three was a back-and-forth battle in the early going with neither side being able to score more than three points in succession and swapping the lead every few points. With things even at 15, Sydney Bolding posted a pair of kills followed by an ace from Gyrani Rogers to go ahead by three. That burst was enough to gain some momentum in the match and propel the Dolphins to a 25-19 win in the third set of the evening.
 
Jacksonville scored first in the fourth set of the night, but Stetson scored six of the next seven to take a lead they would go on to hold for the remainder of the set. JU continued to battle and when down 18-12, rattled off four straight points to get within two with ambitions of forcing a decisive fifth set, but the Hatters scored seven of the next eight points to conclude matters and take the set 25-19.
 
Edelman posted her third double-double of the season, finishing the night with 11 kills and 14 digs along with a trio of service aces. She was joined in double-figure kills by Bolding and Romancova who had 12 each, with the former also recording a pair of blocks. Honn posted 37 assists and 17 digs to go with a pair of kills, while Avery Perosa added 10 digs. Lewis also recorded 10 digs and Rogers finished the night with 12.
 
Next up for Jacksonville, they make the return trip across town for the third installment of this season's River City Rumble, taking on North Florida Friday evening at 7 PM.