Hatters Down FGCU to Advance to ASUN Championship

Stetson to Face UNF-FGCU Winner at 1:30 p.m. Sunday

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Top-seeded Stetson battled back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat second-seeded Florida Gulf Coast 3-1 in the ASUN semifinals Saturday afternoon at the Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex.

The Hatters (21-14) advance to Sunday's ASUN Championship and will compete for an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament at 1:30 p.m. in a winner-take-all dual. Stetson's opponent will be determined Sunday morning as FGCU and North Florida will play an elimination dual at 11 a.m.

Pairs 4 and 5 got the semifinals started in dramatic fashion with couple of three-set matches. The Eagles (18-17) grabbed an early lead when Kaitlyn Luebbers and Lexie Hamilton won 2-1 on Court 4.

Aleksandra Stadnik and Lauren Della pulled the Hatters even with a 2-1 win on Court 5. The Hatter duo won the first set 21-15, extending their set win streak to 17, but dropped the second set 21-19. With the third set tied 10-10, Stadnik and Della went on a 5-1 run capped off by a kill from Stadnik to win the match and even the dual 1-1.

On Court 2, Carolina Ferraris and Anete Namike and nailed down a 21-19, 21-16 win to give Stetson a 2-1 lead in the dual.

The Hatters got the clincher on Court 1 when Karin Zolnercikova and Shae Henson won 21-19, 21-19. Zolnercikova served an ace on match point to send the Hatters into the final. The 3s were tied 1-1 in the match when the dual was officially called.

Stetson is in the ASUN Championship for the 10th straight time. The Hatters are seeking their seventh ASUN title in program history.

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