DeLand, Fla. - Another offensive struggle for the Stetson volleyball team (0-7, 0-1 Atlantic Sun) cost it dearly in a 25-16, 25-17, 25-11home loss to Florida Gulf Coast in the A-Sun opener for both teams Tuesday evening at the Edmunds Center. FGCU improved to 2-5 and 1-0 in conference play. Senior libero Anna Becker (McLean, Ill.) recorded 10 digs for the Hatters.
Stetson hit just .025 in the match (17-15-80) while FGCU hit .313 and out-killed the Hatters 45-17. Jelena Simic led the charge with 11 kills and eight digs while preseason All-Atlantic Sun selection Jacqueline Cowden had seven errorless kills and hit .538. Setter Chandra Lefever tallied 32 assists and seven digs with libero Holly Youngquist collecting a match-high 17 digs.
Junior outside hitter Stephanie Canfield (Panama City, Fla.) was the only Hatter to reach five kills in what was a disappointing evening on the attack for the whole squad. Freshman setter Kelli Carneal (Fredericksburg, Va.) handed out 12 assists with five digs, three blocks and three kills. Stetson's service reception was perhaps its biggest liability on the night, allowing the Eagles to record eight aces, four of them by Lefever.
Stetson will head out on the road for a pair of conference matches this evening, visiting ETSU at 7 p.m. Friday and Campbell at 5 p.m. Saturday. Friday's match in Johnson City, Tenn. will be webcast on A-Sun.TV while Hatter Vision subscribers will be able to watch the showdown with the Camels on Saturday live for no additional cost.
