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Volleyball Celebration
3
Winner Stetson STET 3-0
2
FIU FIU 2-1
Winner
Stetson STET
3-0
3
Final
2
FIU FIU
2-1
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Stetson STET 22 25 25 25 15 (3)
FIU FIU 25 27 12 17 9 (2)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Athletic Communications

Down 2-0, Hatters Rally To Win FIU Kickoff Title

Eva Deisa records a career-high 25 kills

Miami, Fla. -- Throughout the preseason and into the first few matches of the year, Stetson head coach Yang Deng had been waiting for the Hatters to start clicking together on the court.

Trailing 2-0 to FIU late Saturday afternoon, that moment finally arrived.

Stetson dominated the final three sets, hitting a combined .373 on offense, to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Panthers and to capture the FIU Kickoff title.

The Hatters are now 3-0 on the season for the first time since 1996.

"When everyone does their part, everything just flows so much better together," senior Julie Varga said.  "I felt like this weekend we really grew as a team.  It felt really good."

FIU (2-1) edged Stetson in the first two sets by scores of 25-22 and 27-25.  When the Hatters talked things over during the intermission, there was no sense of panic.

"I don't think we played bad in the first two sets, I just think we lost points at certain times," Deng said.  "I told them to keep playing our game.  I asked the girls to give me five games, and that's exactly what they did.  I could not ask for more."

In the third set, the Hatters caught fire and used a 12-2 run to pull away with a 25-12 victory.  Stetson had 15 kills in the frame and hit .481 as a team.

In the fourth set, Hao Jin helped Stetson take control, posting three blocks, two kills, two aces, and a somersault dig while playing the back row.  The Hatters forced a fifth set with a 25-17 win.

"What (Hao) did was just bring a lot of great energy with that dig," Deng said.  "She brought her best game.  She had some great kills and some great blocks."

In the fifth set, FIU led 6-5 early, but the Hatters quickly responded.  Eva Deisa had seven of the team's 12 kills in the decisive frame, including the game-winner from the left side to cap a 15-9 Stetson win.

It was Stetson's first victory when trailing 2-0 in a match since 2011.

"The team, the fight, the discipline, everything we talked about, they put it on the court," Deng said.  "What a great confidence boost after being down two to come back and win three big. That was a great job. I am very, very proud of them."

Deisa finished with a career-high 25 kills to go along with just three errors in 55 swings (.400).  Anna Bezhan came off the bench to collect 13 kills and three blocks.  Schmid added 10 kills and Jin finished with seven blocks.  

Emily DeSteffano posted a 51-assist, 15-dig double-double performance.  Chelcie picked up 23 digs.

Stetson hit .274 for the match, while the Panthers hit 185.

The Hatters will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn. next weekend for the MTSU Blue Raider Bash.
  Notes: Stetson has equaled its win total from 2017 ... Won three in a row for the first time since 2015 .. Swept a tournament for the first time since 2014 ... Defeated FIU for the first time since 2001 ... Started the season 3-0 for the first time since 1996 ... Won at FIU for the first time since 1995 ... Eva Deisa is the first Hatter with 25 kills in a match since Kaley Melville had 28 in 2013.

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.
 
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