JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University volleyball team fell in a nail-biter of five sets against Stetson Friday night in Swisher Gymnasium.
SET ONE
Jacksonville opened the set with a kill by Rebecca Rocassin, assisted by Kariana Ayala-Drew. Following the initial point, the set unfolded with both teams trading kills back and forth. Stetson eventually secured a 7-3 lead, but the Dolphins steadily fought back, narrowing the Stetson advantage to two points. This resurgence was fueled by two consecutive kills from Anna Erickson, bringing the score to 9-7. Subsequently, Stetson widened the gap to five points with a 6-0 run, interrupted only by Jenna McNamera's kill. After a series of kills and attack errors, JU found themselves trailing by six. Despite Stetson's solid performance, the Dolphins closed in on the set after the first media timeout, notching two more kills and bringing the score to 20-16 in favor of Stetson. JU's momentum persisted as they reduced the Hatter lead to two points, sparked by a rally led by Anna Erickson, who reached her season high in kills at 21. When the scoreboard reflected a tight 20-18 with JU trailing by two, the Hatters responded by rebuilding a 4-point edge, reaching 24-20 and ultimately securing the set point with a kill.
SET TWO
Despite an unfortunate ending in the first set for the Dolphins, Erickson began the second set strong, securing the first two kills and providing a two-point advantage for the Dolphins. In response to a Dolphin service error, Rebecca Rocassin maintained the scoring advantage by recording an ace. The Dolphins continued to dominate the set, and further extended their upper-hand to 10-4, JU maintained relentless pressure, playing flawlessly and compelling Stetson to call a timeout when the score reached a commanding 13-5 in favor of the Dolphins. Following the timeout, the momentum persisted, driven by an ace from Alija Heins, resulting in a 16-6 lead. The set reached a point of no return for the Hatters, as Erickson and Lyric Love led the Dolphins to finish the job in an exhilarating 25-11 set.
SET THREE
After JU opened with a point, the set experienced multiple early lead changes. Stetson went on a quick 4-0 run to gain an 8-3 lead. Both Universities continued to exchange points, but the Dolphins slowly won the momentum battle shrinking the Hatter led to a slim 9-8 for Hatters. After a couple unfortunate plays Stetson gained back a 13-8 lead. In a comeback, Dolphins narrowed the advantage to three, propelled by kills from Erickson and Jenna McNamara to post a 16-13 score in favor of Hatters. Still, trading points, the lead for the Hatters was eaten to two after a kill by Lyric Love. In a blink, Stetson regained momentum to push the lead back to four. Though Dolphins did not give in easy, the trade of points continued until Stetson secured the third set.
SET FOUR
A complete battle unfolds in this set, with JU consistently finding a way to bring themselves back in striking range whenever they fell behind. The Dolphins yet again opened the set on the prowl and earned the first two points of the set. Hatters responded quickly, tying the set 2-2. Stetson then gained a small edge that was gradually eroded by the Dolphins, led by Libero Kariana Ayala-Drew. The match remained neck-and-neck until JU seized a two-point advantage, with the help of Alija Heins on a kill and an ace by Kristina Nika, resulting in a 13-11 lead. The ongoing exchange of points underscored the significance of this match, which potentially decided the post-season fate for either university. The score remained tied all the way to set point, with JU building a 2-point lead at 24-22, led by Barbora Hoskova. In an intense finish, a decisive kill by McNamara seals the set victory for the Dolphins.
SET FIVE
In another closely contested scoring battle, the set witnessed four early lead changes. A block by Rebecca Rocassin contributes to the Dolphins securing seven points before Stetson reaches their eighth to switch sides of the floor. Following the rotation, Stetson built the largest lead of either team in the set, reaching 11-7. Heins interrupted the Hatter's momentum with a kill, followed by an ace from Callie Kasun, narrowing the lead to two with a score of 10-12. JU then proceeded to level the score at 12-12, thanks to another attack error. Stetson pulled away late and solidified the win.
UP NEXT
Jacksonville closes out the regular season with one last home stand, welcoming Florida Gulf Coast to Swisher Gym on Saturday at 5 p.m. to celebrate Senior Night.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
