DELAND, Fla. – Stetson Volleyball took down a sturdy Bellarmine squad, 3-0, Friday night in the Edmunds Center.
"I think we played way we should play," head coach
Yang Deng said "They put up a really good fight with us, but we have to stay on our game first. We have to make sure we take care of business when the ball is on our side. That is the challenge for us, they're a good defensive team and picked up hard hit balls and tried to serve us. It was good for us to play them. Our setters were being good in the passing game and when the offense is good it unlocks things. Bellarmine has some weak links for blocking and we used that to our advantage."
The feeling out process kept the sides close with the home side keeping a small lead, gradually increasing it mid-frame. A five-0 run built the Hatter advantage to 16-7. The visitors were too deep in the hole to dig themselves out and SU took the first frame, 25-15, after leading wire-to-wire.
The visitors kept the set tight with four ties during the second frame, keeping the Hatters on their toes. The home team pushed in front by three, but the visitors countered. The set was even until Stetson took a 14-13 advantage and would not look back en route to a 25-20 set two win.
The Hatters leaped out of the gates in the third set with a 7-2 run, then parlayed that into a 12-4 advantage, but the visitors chipped away at the lead, knocking it down to a two-point advantage late in the set, 24-22.
Leilani Vitale sealed the match with a kill, closing out the third set 25-22.
Anabelle Standish notched a double-double, 15 kills, 12 digs.
Elena Djokovic knocked 16 kills and finished a couple digs short [eight digs] of a double-double. The Hatter setters each registered double-doubles,
Elif Yasar with 22 assists, 11 digs and
Nyah Molina 18 assists, 12 digs.
Sophia Groom and Vitale combined with three blocks, each.
"Today we had good energy," Yasar said "we struggle with energy on the court as a team sometimes, but I felt really good today. We played as a team. I was focused on the moment though. Anabelle [Standish] and Elena [Djokovic] played really well."
Stetson will welcome Eastern Kentucky to the Edmunds Center to put a wrap on the weekend. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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).
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