DELAND, Fla. -- Hatter volleyball dropped a hard-fought ASUN Conference match to Lipscomb, 3-2, in the Edmunds Center Sunday afternoon.
 
"We know we could have played better today, which shows our potential," head coach Yang Deng said "Younger players at discerning moments could not stay poised. The team wanted this one and got a little frantic, maybe trying a too hard. Then when they were attacking us, we hesitated. Mentally we didn't sustain the level we know we should, and the performance comes with that. Volleyball is a very mentally focused game; you have to make sure you are on top of the game mentally and stay poised. That was the difference today. I think we can play at a higher level, especially if we learn to play a little faster and experience."
 
Similar to Friday's match with Austin Peay, every set was tightly contested. The first was held within four points until the visitors reeled off an 8-2 run to go up 23-16. SU chipped away at the advantage, but Lipscomb took the opening frame, 25-19.
 
The teams looked deadlocked in the beginning of the second set until Stetson notched a 7-0 scoring run, going up 12-6. While LU fought back, the Hatters maintained the margin, taking set two, 25-20.
 
The momentum shifted back-and-forth in the third set, as it featured nine ties and five lead changes. Neither side pushed beyond a three-point advantage until SU pushed in front 23-19. The home side eventually took the set 25-22 and the first lead of the match, 2 sets to 1.
 
The battle intensified in the fourth set as the score was tied 20 times with eight lead changes. The largest advantage was two through the entire set, but from a one-point deficit [22-21] Lipscomb notched four of the next five points to take the set and even the match.
 
The shortened fifth set appeared to be more of the same until the Bisons snagged five consecutive points, taking a three-point advantage, 9-6. With the momentum, the away side took the set 15-9 and match 3-2.
 
While five-set matches tend to inflate stats, junior outside hitter Anabelle Standish demolished the ball with 23 kills, a new career high shattering the previous of 17 [twice obtained]. Senior outside hitter Elena Djokovic set new career highs in digs [18] blocks [4] and was the only other Hatter with double-digit kills [13]. Freshman libero Madilyn Jerald notched back-to-back season high in digs besting Friday's mark of 18 by three. The team set a new high with 14 blocks with five different players getting credited with solo blocks.
 
The Hatters continue ASUN play with their longest road matches of the year traveling to Florence, Alabama to face North Alabama Friday and then on to Conway, Arkansas to face Central Arkansas.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.