Owls split pair of contests to close out FGCU Invitational

Saturday, September 17

Fort Myers, Fla. / Alico Arena

1 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

-101,00 CUSA

Buffalo

8-4,0-0MAC

Buffalo

Fla. Atlantic

9/17/2022 10:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Atlantic Volleyball closed out play in the FGCU Invitational on Saturday, splitting their pair of contests with a sweep over Buffalo and then falling in three against tournament host FGCU.

"I am so proud of our girls, we are having a great year and I can't wait to see what this team is going to be able to achieve by the end of the year," expressed head coach Fernanda Nelson. "We played fantastic against Buffalo, and we had great opportunities tonight against a great team like FGCU. We can learn a lot from this past weekend. We can't wait to go back to work this week and keep embracing the process!"

FAU 3 – Buffalo 0

Buffalo took the opening lead in the contest. FAU kept the match within one at 3-2 after a Klara Zarnovicka kill, but the Bulls went on a 5-2 run to take an 8-4 lead into the Owls first timeout of the contest. Out of the timeout, the Owls battled back, going on their first significant run of the contest to outscore the Bulls 9-4 that was capped by a pair of Buffalo errors to give the Owls their first lead of the contest, 13-12. The Owls and Bulls battled to a 18-18 stalemate before Buffalo would take a 19-18 lead, however, the Owls responded with a dominant 7-0 run to close out the set and secure the 25-19 win.

The two squads battled through a 6-6 tie to open the second, before a 5-2 Owl run, capped off by a Zarnovicka kill, sparked a Buffalo timeout with the Owls holding a three-point advantage, 11-8. Buffalo kept the set within two at a 22-20 FAU lead, but a 3-0 run for FAU, including kills from Zarnovicka and Valeria Rosado and a Buffalo error, closed out the second, 25-20, to give FAU the 2-0 lead.

In the third, the Owls struck first and took a quick lead off Camryn Vogler's first kill of the contest to make it 5-3 FAU. The Bulls responded to eventually bring things even at seven, but the Owls kicked things back into gear as they outscored the Bulls 10-6 finished off by a Vanda Zimova solo block to spark the Bulls first timeout of the set as FAU held a six-point lead, 15-9. Buffalo battled to keep the set within four at a 20-16 Owl lead, but FAU was just too much for the Bulls as the Owls once again finished out the set on a 5-1 run, closed out by a Lauryn Green service ace, to secure the Owls' straight-set sweep over the Bulls, 25-17.

FAU 0 – FGCU 3

In the opening set, FGCU struck first. The Eagles got out to a 2-0 lead before the Owls battled back to keep the set within a point after a Green kill, 7-6. Another FGCU run put the Eagles up 12-7 before the Owls called their first timeout of the contest. Out of the timeout, a block from Noelle Stephens and Zimova sparked a 5-1 FAU run to bring the Owls back within one yet again at 13-12. FAU stayed within two at 18-16, but the Eagles produced a 7-5 run to close out the set, 25-21, and take the 1-0 advantage.

The Owls battled FGCU to open the second, going back-and-forth to a 13-13 stalemate. However, the Eagles stifled the Owls after that, outscoring FAU 12-2 over the remainder of the set to win 25-15 and put the Owls down by a two heading to the third.

FGCU scored four unanswered to open set three, but a 10-6 Owl run brought FAU back even with the Eagles following a Green and Stephens block, 10-10. The Owls continued to outscore the Eagles to take a four-point lead after a Zarnovicka kill and a pair of Eagle errors at 17-13. Late in the third, the Owls continued to battle as they looked to extend the game to a fourth set, battling through a trio of ties at 24, 25, and 26, but FGCU scored two in a row after the 26-26 stalemate to win the final set 28-26 and take the 3-0 win.

Stat Leaders

FAU vs. Buffalo

Kills: Katelynn Robine - 15
Assists: Noelle Stephens - 31
Digs: Camryn Vogler - 12
Blocks: Klara Zarnovicka/Noelle Stephens - 3
Aces: Camryn Vogler - 2

FAU at FGCU

Kills: Klara Zarnovicka - 14
Assists: Noelle Stephens - 24
Digs: Camryn Vogler - 12
Blocks: Vanda Zimova - 5
Aces: Katelynn Robine - 4

Set-by-Set

FAU vs. Buffalo

Set 1: FAU 25, Buffalo 19
Set 2: FAU 25, Buffalo 20
Set 3: FAU 25, Buffalo 17

FAU at FGCU

Set 1: FAU 21, FGCU 25
Set 2: FAU 15, FGCU 25
Set 3: FAU 26, FGCU 28

Match Notes

FAU vs. Buffalo

Katelynn Robine posted a team-high and season second-best 15 kills, while hitting a season second-best .469
Valeria Rosado produced her third double-double of the season with a match second-best 11 kills and 10 digs
Noelle Stephens recorded a match-high 31 assists
Camryn Vogler led the Owls with 12 digs

FAU at FGCU