Owls drop four-setter against SMU

Sunday, October 8

Boca Raton, Fla.

1 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

11-9,3-4AAC

SMU

12-6,6-1AAC

SMU

Fla. Atlantic

Photo by: JC Ridley/Owlpix.com

10/8/2023 11:51:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic Owls (11-9, 3-4 AAC) battled tough against the second team in the AAC West, but ultimately fell in a tight four-set battle against the SMU Mustangs (12-6, 6-1 AAC) on Sunday at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.

Florida Atlantic 1 – SMU 3

Valeria Rosado led the Owls in the win, posting a team-high 20 kills, while also leading the Owls back row with a career-best 22 digs. Rosado also tallied a team second-best four blocks and dished out three assists. Victoria Hensley dished out a team-leading 39 assists, while narrowly missing a double-double with nine digs. Lauryn Green led the Owls at the net, posting a match-high five blocks, including one solo block in the contest.

The Owls scored first off a match-opening sanction on SMU's coach. The Mustangs scored two in a row to take their first lead of the match, but six unanswered from the Owls quickly put Florida Atlantic back on top as the Owls led 7-2. The Owls maintained their advantage until SMU eventually grabbed a 13-12 advantage. SMU led 20-19, but the Owls scored three in a row to hold a 22-20 advantage late in the first. The Owls held set-point at 24 and 26, but the Mustangs closed the set on a 3-0 run to capture the 28-26 win.

Florida Atlantic opened the second on a 6-4 run, but the Mustangs responded with five-straight points to retake the lead at 9-6. The Owls battled back to eventually even the set at 15 after a kill from Romina Cornelio. The Mustangs and Owls traded runs through a 19-19 stalemate. SMU scored three unanswered to lead 22-19, but the Owls tried to cut into the Mustang lead to get within two at 23-21, but SMU scored two to close out the set and take a 2-0 advantage, 25-21.

The Owls came out gunning in the third, quickly jumping out to a 7-4 lead after kills from Rosado and Green. SMU then mounted a 7-2 run to take an 11-9 lead. The two squads battled back and forth, but the Mustangs maintained the lead through 23-21, however the Owls closed the set on a 4-0 run to take the third 25-23 and force a fourth set, 2-1.

Florida Atlantic once again jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead. The Owls maintained the lead through 15-14, before a 4-0 SMU run pushed the Mustangs back in front at 18-15. Florida Atlantic cut the deficit to one after kills from Katelynn Robine and Rosado, but a 6-0 Mustang run quickly put SMU at match point at 24-17. The Owls tacked on two more to come within five at 24-19, however the Mustangs scored one more to close out the set 25-19 and capture the four-set win, 3-1.

Up Next

The Owls will travel to the Lone Star State next week for just one match as they face off against the nationally-ranked Rice Owls on Friday, Oct. 13. First serve is set for 7 p.m. ET at Tudor Fieldhouse and on ESPN+.

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