FAU Drops a Hard Fought Match in C-USA Tourney

Friday, November 21

Hattiesburg, MS

6:00 PM

Florida Atlantic

18-12

WKU

28-5

FAU

WKU

11/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Nov. 21, 2014

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss - Florida Atlantic University's volleyball team showed the team and program's growth in its Conference USA Tournament season-ending 3-0 loss to Western Kentucky University, Friday night in Hattiesburg, Miss.

The Owls put together their best season with the program's first winning record, 18-12, since 2005 when the team advanced to the NCAA tournament. FAU has progressed each of the last three-season, all under the direction of Head Coach Fernanda Nelson, and arguably had their best overall performance against a tough WKU team, that will advance with a 28-5 record to the next round of the C-USA Championships.

"I'm very proud," said Nelson following the match. "The team fought hard and the second set could have gone either way. Even though it is a tough loss and I wasn't prepared to lose, we have had an amazing season and our future is exciting."

WKU, seeded No. 2, took the first set 25-18. But, the Owls stormed back behind the efforts of Brittney Brown and Katarina Stepanovic, who tallied five kills each in the second set to force the Hilltoppers to score 30 before the set was secured 30-28. The Owls had set point in the second frame that saw 16 ties before WKU earned the final two points. There were 10 ties in the final set but, WKU's Alyssa Cavanaugh, the league's Freshman of the Year, tallied six kills, including the match's final point with the 25-23 set victory.

FAU's Genesis Viera led the Owls' offensive attack, as she has much of the 2014 campaign, with 45 assists. Kristi Tekavec and Brown led the Owls with double-digit kills tallying 15 and 14, respectively. Stepanovic had 10. Defensively, Nicole Unger had 13 digs and Natalie Rosado added 12.

The match was the final match in an FAU uniform for seniors Ivana Bulajic, from Pancevo, Serbia and Liene Mellupe from Riga, Lativa. The duo transferred to FAU from junior college and have been a part of the program since 2013.

"Our season's success and the program's growth is because of the seniors and I want to thank them," added Nelson.