Stetson University Athletics

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Stetson volleyball pushed North Florida to five sets Friday night at UNF Arena, falling 3-2 (22-25, 25-8, 25-22, 21-25, 18-16) in an ASUN matchup. The Hatters rallied to win the fourth set and extended the deciding set beyond 15 points, finishing with 48 kills, 78 digs and 10 total blocks.

Karsu Bayraktar led the Hatters with a career-high 18 kills and 19.0 points, adding a career-high 12 digs for her second double-double of the season. Vanessa Shevchenko also set a career high with 35 assists, while Vitoria Stedile paced the defense with 19 digs.

The Hatters showed their comeback ability throughout the match, overcoming an eight-point deficit in the opening set and erasing a late two-point gap in the fourth. Stetson also stayed within reach in the deciding set, tying the score three times late before North Florida secured the 18-16 win.

Stetson opened the match by overcoming a 15-8 deficit in the first set. Vitoria Stedile sparked a 7-0 run with two service aces, while blocks from Keely Starnes and Soraya Teston helped the Hatters pull even at 15-15. Andrea Diaz Dominguez added an ace to put Stetson ahead 18-17, and the Hatters built a four-point advantage at 23-19. After North Florida pulled closer, Bayraktar recorded a kill for set point before Kayla Balfour finished the set, 25-22.

North Florida responded in the second set, building an early lead and maintaining its momentum to take the frame 25-8. Balfour opened Stetson's scoring with a block, while Teston added a kill and Diaz Dominguez contributed a kill and a service ace. Torcello and Balfour also recorded late kills as the Hatters continued to compete through the set.

The Hatters mounted a late push in the third set, cutting a 23-17 deficit to 23-21. Diaz Dominguez recorded a kill, while North Florida attack errors and blocks involving Torcello and Balfour helped Stetson close the gap. Bayraktar contributed multiple kills throughout the frame, but the Ospreys held on to take the set 25-22.

Stetson responded in the fourth, turning an 20-18 deficit into a 25-21 victory to force a deciding set. After North Florida opened with a 7-0 run and led 15-7, the Hatters gradually worked their way back. Shevchenko helped spark the rally with a service run that included an ace, while kills from Alessia Bracchi and Balfour brought Stetson closer. A block by Torcello and Diaz Dominguez helped trim the margin further before Diaz Dominguez served through five consecutive points. A block from Torcello and Bayraktar, a Bayraktar kill and North Florida errors pushed the Hatters ahead 24-20, and Bayraktar closed the set with a kill from Shevchenko.

The fifth set remained tight as Stetson continued to answer North Florida's pushes. Diaz Dominguez opened with a service ace, and the Hatters took a 2-0 lead before the Ospreys responded with five straight points. Stetson stayed close behind kills from Bayraktar, Balfour and Diaz Dominguez, along with a block from Bracchi. Shevchenko's kill and a North Florida attack error tied the score at 11-11. Late kills from Bayraktar kept the Hatters within reach, and Shevchenko's ace evened the set at 14-14. Balfour's block and another Diaz Dominguez kill tied the score again at 15-15 and 16-16, respectively, before North Florida recorded the final two points for an 18-16 decision.

Hatters Top Performers

·       Karsu Bayraktar: Career-high 18 kills, team-high 19.0 points, career-high 12 digs and two blocks.

·       Vanessa Shevchenko: Career-high 35 assists, six kills, six digs and two service aces.

·       Vitoria Stedile: Team-high 19 digs, four assists and two service aces.

·       Andrea Diaz Dominguez: Eight kills, 16 digs, team-high three service aces and 11.5 points.

Up Next

The Hatters wrap up their Jacksonville road trip against Jacksonville on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m. at Swisher Gymnasium.