DeLand, Fla. – Haley Tippett and McKenna Foster each recorded 10 kills as Stetson rolled to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-10) victory over Florida A&M Wednesday night at the Edmunds Center.
The Hatters (9-12) hit a season-high .391 while winning for the fourth time in their last five matches.
Stetson trailed 21-19 late in the first set, but finished the frame on a 6-1 run to take a 1-0 lead. The Hatters outscored the Rattlers (4-17) 50-21 the rest of the way behind a .536 attack percentage in the second set and a .393 mark in the final frame.
“I thought we started off a little slow in the first set, and then in the second and third sets I thought we did a really good job with our blocking and defense,” Stetson head coach Kristina Hernandez said. “They run a really high ball offense, and we don't really see it that often, so I felt we had to get used to it, and we responded really well.
“Offensively, a lot of people contributed for us tonight, and I felt that was clicking as well.”
Shelby Connors had the highest attack percentage of the night, collecting nine kills in 12 attempts for a .667 mark. Tippett (.444) and Foster (.400) also hit for high percentages.
In just her third outing of the season, freshman middle blocker Morgan Eiland subbed in for Madison Fitzsimmons in the second set and picked up a block on her very first play.
“It was very exciting,” Eiland said. “I was a little nervous going in there but it was good. I was glad I could do it.”
Eiland went on to assist on three of the team's 10 blocks. She also recorded her first career kill.
“Morgan did a great job when she came in,” Hernandez said. “She blocked right away, she scored right away, I told her it was great we could put her in and it not disrupt the flow of the game. In the third set, we wanted to keep her in there and give her a little more experience and time.”
Madison Akins contributed seven kills, five blocks, and three digs, including the 500th dig of her career. Kayla Weller tallied 33 assists and Michelle Kastner picked up 12 digs.
The Hatters will begin the second half of Atlantic Sun play when they visit Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Notes:
Haley Tippett has recorded double digit kills in seven straight matches ... The Hatters are 21-7 in their last 28 home matches (.750) ... Stetson's .391 attack percentage was the team's highest in four seasons and the seventh highest total in the rally scoring era.
