DELAND, Fla. — Stetson came up just short in a five-set match against North Florida on Sunday, falling 3-2 with set scores of 26-24, 21-25, 20-25, 25-22 and 13-15. The Hatters rallied to win the fourth set and force a decisive fifth, but North Florida held on for the road victory.
Stetson finished with a .216 hitting percentage, nearly matching North Florida's .217, while committing fewer attack errors (19-31) and service errors (3-12). The Hatters also held a 14-11 advantage in total blocks, while the teams were separated by just one dig, with North Florida finishing ahead 82-81.
Andrea Diaz Dominguez reached the 200-dig milestone, bringing her season total to 211, and
Sophie Jones recorded her first career assist.
The Hatters opened the match with a five-point closing run to take the first set, overcoming a 24-21 deficit for a 26-24 win. After North Florida built a 18-11 lead, Stetson began to chip away behind a
Sofia Torcello service ace and kills from
Soraya Teston,
Kayla Balfour and
Karsu Bayraktar. The Hatters pulled within two at 23-21 before Torcello and Diaz Dominguez added kills. A Teston-Balfour block tied the set at 24-24, and Balfour finished it with a kill off a
Vanessa Shevchenko assist.
North Florida answered by taking the second set 25-21. Stetson stayed close early, with kills from
Jannelize Perez, Bayraktar, Teston and Diaz Dominguez helping the Hatters keep pace. A Bayraktar kill, Shevchenko kill and Torcello block brought Stetson even at 11-11. North Florida then used a 7-1 stretch to take control, building an 18-12 lead. The Hatters continued to push late, with a Balfour-Bayraktar block and a Torcello-Teston block helping close the gap to 24-21 before the Ospreys secured the set.
The Hatters cut into a six-point deficit in the third set but could not complete the comeback, falling 25-20. North Florida built a 13-7 advantage before Stetson responded with a block from Diaz Dominguez and Torcello, a Balfour-Shevchenko block and a Bayraktar kill. Shevchenko added a service ace during a four-point stretch that brought the Hatters within 16-14. North Florida extended its lead late, and Stetson put together another push with a Teston kill, a Maia Keely Pou ace and kills from Diaz Dominguez and Balfour before the Ospreys closed out the set.
Stetson forced a fifth set with a 25-22 win in the fourth. After falling behind 8-3, the Hatters worked their way back into the set with kills from Diaz Dominguez, Shevchenko, Balfour and Bayraktar. Stetson later pulled even at 12-12 behind a series of blocks, including contributions from Torcello, Shevchenko, Bayraktar and Teston. North Florida regained the lead, but the Hatters continued to close the gap. Shevchenko tied the set at 20-20 with a kill before a block put Stetson in front. Torcello and Bayraktar added kills, and a North Florida service error sealed the set for the Hatters.
The Hatters erased an early 4-0 deficit in the deciding set and pulled even three times late, but North Florida took the fifth 15-13. Bayraktar recorded Stetson's first point with a kill off a Torcello assist, and kills from Torcello, Teston, Bayraktar and Shevchenko helped bring the Hatters within 9-8. Teston followed with a kill, and a Torcello-Diaz Dominguez block tied the set at 10-10. Torcello answered again to make it 11-11, and a Balfour-Teston block evened the score at 12-12. After North Florida moved ahead 14-12, Balfour's solo block brought Stetson within one, but the Ospreys closed the match on an attack error.
Hatters Top Performers
- Karsu Bayraktar: 14 kills, .371 hitting percentage, 11 digs, reached 100-dig milestone
- Vanessa Shevchenko: 38 assists, 12 digs, two service aces and three total blocks
- Vitoria Stedile: Team-high 22 digs
- Sofia Torcello: Career-high 10 kills, seven total blocks,and one service ace. Has recorded at least seven blocks in back-to-back matches.
- Kayla Balfour: Nine kills, six total blocks, including two solo, and 13 points. Has recorded at least four blocks in six consecutive matches.
- Soraya Teston: Career-high 11 kills and reached the 25-career-block milestone.
Up Next
The Hatters head to Charlotte, N.C., to take on Queens on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. at Curry Arena.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters
