SPRINGFIELD, Mo.– FIU volleyball (9-6, 0-2 CUSA) was swept in its bid at a bounce-back against Missouri State (11-3, 2-0) despite hitting an even .250 as a team.
As had been the case in the previous game, FIU and the Bears traded points early on, but the Panthers held a skinny 11-10 advantage in the first after a
Chiara Fabbrini and
Rayne Williams block and Bears error. A few points later was where Missouri State went on a 6-0 run, which was the turning point as the team sailed to a 25-19 victory. The Panthers struggled to hold off the Bears' attack as the team hit .371 in the set.
Down 15-12 in set two, the Panthers went on a 5-0 run out of the media break to take a 17-15 lead. Fabbrini added two kills and a block assist from
Jillian Huckabey and
Teodora Skocajic closed the run out. A Bears run put them up 21-20, and despite a Skocajic/
Ivona Lazovic block to tie it at 23, FIU lost the next two and the set 25-23.
FIU got off to a 5-2 start but surrendered a 9-0 spread for the home team over the next nine points. Coming all the way back to make it a one-point deficit at 20-19 on a Huckabey kill, the Panthers couldn't find another run, falling 25-21 and 3-0 in the match.
Lana Sesar (13) and Huckabey (11) again led the offense for the Panthers, while
Marta Lazzarin (15 digs) had a strong match on the defensive side. Huckabey had a double-double, and Lazovic (17 assists) now just needs one helper to reach 1,000 in her career.
Up Next
FIU hosts Kennesaw State for two matches on Oct. 2 and 3.
Social Media
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