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Owls Earn Split Results on Day One of Tiger Invitational
9/10/2021 9:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University volleyball team (7-2) earned split results during their first day at the Tiger Invitational in Towson, Maryland, winning their first match over the Norfolk State Spartans 3-1 before falling in the nightcap to the Towson Tigers, 3-0. The loss to Towson snapped a six-match winning streak.
Match 1 vs. Norfolk State
Set 1
Klara Zarnovicka opened the scoring for FAU with the first point of the match on the first of her eight blocks in the game. Norfolk State answered right back with a 10 to 2 run, which put the Owls in a hole with the score 11-5 in favor of the Spartans. Then, following a pair of successive kills by outside hitter Christine Jarman, the teams traded points until NSU led 23-20. Despite a late rally by FAU that tied things up at 23, the Spartans won the final two points at deuce to take the first set, 25-23.
Set 2
The second set saw the Owls come out firing on all cylinders as they rode another pair of kills by Jarman and two more blocks by Zarnovicka to jump out to a quick 7-1 lead. From there, Owl fans got a welcoming sight as Nikola Bartecka recorded her first two kills of the season while FAU put together another scoring run to give themselves a 16-5 lead. Though NSU would mount their own late charge near the end, Owls' outside hitter Katelynn Robine slammed the door with a kill and finished off set two by a score of 25-17.
Set 3
The third set was a display of both talent and skill from the backline as the teams settled in tied at one-set apiece. Camryn Vogler delivered another solid effort, finishing the night with 13 digs while managing to hold serve in the third set for four straight FAU kills, breaking the tie and giving the Owls a 9-5 lead. Meanwhile, setters Stephanie Young and Miabella English provided clean set after clean set to fuel the Owls attack, each finishing with more than 20 assists. Jarman, Robine and Zarnovicka pounded away from the both front and backlines, eventually working the score to 18-12 in favor of the Owls. Those same three Owls would each get a kill to hand the Owls set four with the score 25-16.
Set 4
The beginning of the fourth set was just as competitive as the first, with both teams making plays, but neither able to separate, eventually working a 9-9 tie. The Owls got great offensive production as the day wore on from Robine and she and Jarman shouldered the bulk of the work as the Owls began to pull away. With Green continuing to shut down the middle and Zarnovicka denying all nearly comers on the outside, FAU took the fourth set, 25-20, winning the match 3-1.
Match 2 vs. Towson
Set 1
Both Owls and Tigers knew this matchup would be among their most difficult tests of the season, and FAU responded by giving Towson all they could handle. The teams fought back and forth to tie at 8. Towson took a 3-point lead and held it until 14-11 before a massive run spurred by a pair of kills each from Zarnovicka and Jarman gave the Owls a 17-14 lead. But Towson seized the momentum once again, and during a run of their own took the lead back, even as Zarnovicka notched her fifth kill of the set. The first period proved to be too much firepower to handle for Owls and the Tigers took set 1 with a 25-20 score.
Set 2
The second set was equally exciting as it became clear that these were two well-matched teams. Alicia Hearn finished a kill to break the tie at 6 and the Owls held a three-point lead at 12-9 following a service ace by Zarnovicka and kills by Robine and Jarman. However, the Tigers went on a timely run and took the lead 19-14. FAU managed to keep the set withing reach late, aided by a double-block by Bartecka and Zarnovicka which did the trick to put the Owls down 22-19. Towson hit the gas at the end though, and took set 2 by a score of 25-21.
Set 3
The third set presented the Owls with a rough start, but a run kept alive through timely sets by English drew FAU back to within three, down, 10-7. Though the Owls would trail for most of the set, Alicia Hearn came on strong to keep the match close and ensure that the Owls would not go down without a fight. Towson again showed their mettle as the set wore on, eventually closing out the third set 25-17 and winning the match 3-0.
Match 1
- Robine extended her 8+ kill streak to eight matches and hit .345
- Jarman led the team in kills for the first time this season with 15 and hit .346
- Zarnovicka's eight blocks were the most by any Owls player this season
Match 2
- Bartecka came off the bench for four kills and hit .600 in just her second appearance of the season
- Green came off the bench to record three kills and led the team with threeblocks
The Owls will play their final match of the Tiger Invitational against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Saturday, Sept. 11. First serve is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
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