Volleyball

Volleyball Set to Play Three Matches at South Region Crossover

Anne Pietkiewicz needs five kills to join FSC's 1,000 career Kill Club.

LAKELAND - Florida Southern Volleyball will step out of Sunshine State Conference play this weekend as they will play three region matches at the Red Elephant Cafe South Region Crossover Tournament hosted by the University of Tampa and held at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center.

The Moccasins enter the weekend sporting a 14-7 overall record and they concluded the first half of SSC play with a 5-3 mark after picking up a four-set win last Friday at home against Nova Southeastern. FSC has won 13 of its last 16 matches since opening the 2012 season with a 1-4 record.

At the South Region Crossover, the Mocs will play on Friday against West Georgia at 10 a.m. and then face 22nd-ranked West Florida at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Mocs will conclude the tournament with a 1:15 p.m. match against Christian Brothers.

The Mocs are led by the play of sophomore outside hitter Kate Stromberg (Lexington, Kent.) and senior outside hitter Anne Pietkiewicz (Winter Park, Fla.). Stromberg leads the way in kills (245), kills per set (3.22) and digs (243) and she has had nine double-doubles, while Pietkiewicz is second on the team in kills (220), is third in digs (218) and has had nine double-doubles.

Pietkiewicz enters the weekend needing just five kills to become just the 16th member of the school's 1,000 Kill Club. Additionally, with five kills she will become just the seventh Moccasin to have 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Entering this weekend's action, Pietkiewicz has 995 career kills and 1,037 digs.

Other key performers for the Mocs are sophomore right side hitter Gabby Fernandez (Tampa, Fla.), junior setter Ali Skayhan and freshman middle blocker Kayshia Brady (Crescent City, Fla.). Fernandez is averaging 3.04 kills and has had 20 aces and 25 blocks and is hitting .217, while Skayhan leads the team in double-doubles (15), assists (757), hitting percentage (.367) and service aces (30) and is second in digs (241) and Brady is tied for the team lead in blocks with 35 and has recorded 97 kills and is hitting .279.

As a team, the Mocs are averaging 13.54 kills, 17.50 digs and 1.59 blocks per set and they are hitting .223 overall.

West Georgia enters the weekend sporting a 6-6 overall record. The Wolves, who are members of the Gulf South Conference, are led by the play of junior outside hitter Emily Reul. Reul is averaging 4.48 kills and 2.98 digs per set and is hitting .316. In addition to Reul, junior outside hitter Lesley Bemis is averaging 2.88 kills and 0.67 blocks per set and is hitting .395. As a team, UWG is averaging 13.24 kills, 14.98 digs and 1.36 blocks per set and they are hitting .249 as a team. The Mocs will be facing UWG for just the fifth time in school history and they lead the all-time series, 4-0.

West Florida enters the weekend sporting a 14-6 overall record and No. 22 ranking in the latest AVCA D-II Coaches' Poll. The Argonauts, who are also members of the Gulf South Conference, are led senior outside hitter Haley Shackelford. Shackelford is averaging 3.08 kills and 2.01 digs per set and is hitting a team-best .286. In addition to Shackelford, junior middle hitter Lindsey Homme is averaging 2.84 kills and 0.62 blocks per set and she is hitting .268, while sophomore outside hitter Autumn Duyn is averaging 2.57 kills and a team-best 3.85 digs per set. As a team, the Argos are averaging 13.61 kills, 15.34 digs and 1.86 blocks per set and they are hitting .238 overall. Friday's meeting with UWF will be the 12th all-time in the series as the Mocs hold a 7-4 edge.

Christian Brothers enters the weekend sporting a 12-5 overall record. The Buccaneers, who are also members of the Gulf South Conference, are led by senior outside hitter Hailey Gillis. Gillis is averaging 2.97 kills and 2.13 digs per set and she is hitting a team-best .241. Other key players for the Bucs are sophomore outside hitter Hannah Kurtz and senior middle hitter Lizzie McLean. Kurtz is averaging 2.69 kills and 0.88 digs per set and she is hitting .176, while McLean is averaging 1.84 kills and 0.74 blocks per set. As a team, CBU is averaging 12.80 kills, 16.54 digs and 1.59 blocks per set and is hitting .205. Saturday's meeting with CBU will be the fourth-ever between the two schools as the Mocs lead the series, 2-1.

Following this weekend's action, the Mocs will return to SSC play next weekend as they travel to Miami Shores, Fla., for a 7 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 26 at Barry, before playing Lynn in a 4 p.m. match on Saturday, Oct. 27. The match will be played at St. Andrews School in Boca Raton.  

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