Owls reverse sweep Blazers for second-straight C-USA win

Sunday, October 9

Boca Raton, Fla.

12 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

-126,24 CUSA

UAB

-710,23 CUSA

UAB

Fla. Atlantic

Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

10/9/2022 7:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University volleyball (12-6, 2-4 C-USA) earned its second-straight five-set win on Sunday as the Owls rallied from a two-set deficit to reverse sweep the UAB Blazers (7-10, C-USA), 3-2, during the Owls' Dig Pink game at FAU Arena.

"I am so proud of our girls, going down two sets and having the resilience to come back and be the tougher team on the fifth set was unbelievable," expressed head coach Fernanda Nelson. "We played 10 sets this weekend and we were able to come out with the fifth set win in both contests. There's a lot of things I think we need to clean up, but I am really proud of the team's effort this weekend, and we are ready to get back to work this week."

UAB opened the contest on an 8-2 run to lead early in the first. After a 20-16 UAB lead, the Owls went on a 4-0 run that eventually brought the opening set even at 20 after a Valeria Rosado kill. The Owls continued to battle the Blazers, fighting through 10 ties through a 30-30 stalemate, but an Owl error and a Blazer kill eventually closed the first 32-30 and gave UAB a 1-0 lead.

The Blazers took the opening lead in the second, the Owls continued to battle but UAB continued to hold a three-point advantage through a 10-7 lead. However, the Owls went on a 5-0 run to take their first lead of the set at 12-10 after a Rosado kill. FAU continued to hold a one-point advantage through a 20-19 lead, but the Blazers closed the set on a 6-2 run to take the 25-22 win and a 2-0 lead.

The Owls took the opening lead in the third, 3-1, but UAB responded to eventually bring things to a 6-6 tie. The Owls maintained a three-point advantage through a 17-14 lead before going on a 4-0 run to take a 21-14 advantage in the third. The Blazers outscored the Owls 5-4, but it was just too little too late as FAU would take set three, 25-19, to bring the match back within a set, 2-1.

FAU opened the fourth on a 5-4 run to lead by one, before scoring five unanswered points to lead 10-4. The Blazers immediately responded on a 6-1 run to cut the Owls lead back down to one, 11-10. FAU continued to lead by two at 16-14, but a 4-0 UAB run to give the Blazers their first lead of the fourth, 18-16., however FAU scored three unanswered to retake the lead 19-18. UAB scored two to retake the lead once more at 20-19, however the Owls locked in to only let the Blazers score two more as FAU went on a 6-2 run to close out the fourth 25-22 and even the match at 2-2.

The Owls took the early lead in the fifth going on a 7-3 run to open the frame, but the Blazers responded to even the set after a 4-0 run, 7-7. FAU then produced a 6-2 run to take a four-point lead at 13-9. FAU held set point at 14-10 before a late UAB rally saw the Blazers score two points back-to-back to bring the Owls lead down to two, 14-12, but the Owls' leader Robine closed out the match with her 22^nd kill of the day to give the Owls the 15-12 win and complete FAU's reverse sweep, 3-2.

"I feel that the process with this team has just been wonderful to watch, said Nelson. "They are growing with every situation every week. Robine had a fantastic match today. She stayed really aggressive offensively and helped us all the way around."

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