DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson volleyball team (8-15, 2-8 Atlantic Sun) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to stun visiting FGCU (13-10, 7-3 A-Sun) at the Edmunds Center Saturday on "Serve for the Cure" Day. Senior outside hitter Kaylee Ream (Venice, Fla.) had 17 kills and 14 digs as the Hatters beat FGCU for the first time since the Eagles joined the A-Sun in 2007.
All proceeds from the season-high 685 in attendance went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer. Both teams wore pink as part of their uniforms to support the cause; $810 was raised for the Foundation.
The Hatters dropped the first two sets 25-21, 27-25 before roaring back out of the locker room with a 25-14 win in Set 3. Stetson then picked up back-to-back three-point wins (25-22 and 15-12) to complete the comeback over the Eagles.
The defining fifth set saw FGCU fight off a 6-2 Stetson lead to take a 12-11 advantage, but following a timeout called by Hatters Head Coach Tim Loesch, Stetson reeled off four straight points to claim the landmark victory. Sophomores Kaley Melville (New Germany, Minn.) and Ellen Hawks (Austin, Texas) had kills in that run as the Hatters won a five-setter at the Edmunds Center for the first time since October 18, 2005 against St. Francis (Ill.).
Ream added three of Stetson's season-high 15 service aces to her 17-kill, 14-dig double-double to lead the Hatters. Melville had a double-double as well with 15 kills and 16 digs while Hawks knocked down a career-high 13 kills. Junior setter Kelli Carneal (Fredericksburg, Va.) finished with a career high-tying 45 assists, five digs and four kills with freshman Taylor Story (Plano, Texas) delivering five aces plus eight digs and four kills.
Defensively for the Hatters, junior libero Monique Russell (Phoenix, Ariz.) had 20 digs and freshman defensive specialist Savannah Byl (Bradenton, Fla.) added 11 digs to go along with Melville and Ream's combined 30.
FGCU was led by Kaitlin Holm (17 kills), Jessica Barnes (12 kills), Gigi Meyer (41 assists, 16 digs), Jelena Simic (23 digs), Holly Youngquist (13 digs, six kills) and Jill Hopper (10 digs, nine kills) as well as Brooke Kohler (seven kills, seven blocks).
Stetson will shoot for its first three-match winning streak since November 2007 at 6:00 pm Tuesday when it hosts Volusia County rival Bethune-Cookman. Live Stats and Hatter Vision will be available at GoHatters.com.
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