DELAND, Fla. – Stetson Volleyball wrapped up the regular season with a senior day loss to Jacksonville, 3-2, Sunday afternoon in the Edmunds Center.

"Today's game highlighted our season. We know how good we are, but how do we stay consistent," head coach Yang Deng said "The sense of urgency is not always there, so discipline and consistency is what we have been working on. This last game highlights our season."
 
The match started with the traditional ceremony recognizing three seniors from Jacksonville before middle blockers Kennedy Muldrow and Alexis Thompson with outside hitters Yamelis Mojica and Elena Djokovic received their honors.
 
"I was getting a little emotional in the locker room because these four seniors have gone through a lot with me these past five years," Deng said about the seniors after the match. "From where we were to where we are now, every step of the way they went through what I went through. They gave me 100 percent trust since coming to campus here, unconditionally. I could not ask for me and I don't know if I have the words to properly express my gratitude. Our younger class has a lot to learn from them and big shoes to fill."
 
JU and Stetson battled from the outset, with the Hatters taking an early advantage, 5-2. The visitors climbed back in it with a 4-0 run, taking a one-point lead [6-5]. The see-saw battle continued throughout the set's six lead changes. The home side pulled away and took the set, 25-21 off a kill from Djokovic.
 
The Hatters started the set on fire taking the opening six points. The Dolphins climbed back into the set cutting the deficit to three, 6-9, but the Hats ripped off eight points in a row [17-6]. The visitors closed the gap significantly but SU took the set 25-21.
 
The third frame harkened back to the first as the teams kept the match close in the early going, neither side going up by more than two until the visitors grabbed control. With the score 12-10 favoring Stetson, JU notched seven consecutive points through Hatter miscues [17-12]. The Hatters could not climb back into the set, dropping the frame 25-16.
 
The Hats took the first two points of set four, but then ran into trouble. The guests took the next eight of nine points [8-3]. The Hatters climbed all the way back from seven down to tie the set at 23, then again at 24 before dropping the frame 26-24.
 
The fifth set started similarly to the fourth: Stetson took the initial point before Jacksonville snagged the next five. Stetson cut the advantage to two, 9-7, but JU took the final six points for a 15-7 fifth set, and 3-2 match.
 
Djokovic notched another 20-20 performance, the second of this season, with 24 kills and 22 dig both season high marks by one. Nyah Molina also recorded a 20-20, her third of the season with 22 assists and 24 digs with the latter tying a season high. Anabelle Standish notched a double-double [16 kills, 13 digs] the traditional attacking way. All three seniors that played paced the team in blocks with two each.
 
The Hatters face a tall mountain to climb in a first-round match with number one seed Liberty. That match will take place at Nashville, Tennessee, in Allen Arena on Lipscomb University's campus.
 
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 (PDF). 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.