Spartans Secure SSC Crown in 3-1 Win over Panthers

TAMPA, Fla. – Using a 3-1 win over Florida Tech, the No. 8 University of Tampa volleyball team secured sole possession of the 2015 Sunshine State Conference Championship on Thursday evening in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center.

The four-set win improves the Spartans' record to 23-5 with a 12-1 record in SSC action while the visiting Panthers drop to 13-14 with a 4-11 conference tally.

Senior Berkley Whaley led the charge, spinning her 16^th double-double of the season with a match-high 16 kills and another match-leading 15 digs.  The outside hitter added a pair of blocks and a service ace in the Spartan victory.

Adding to the mayhem was senior duo Marissa Lisenbee and Jessica Wagner, as the tandem grounded 14 and 11 kills, respectively.  Both athletes delivered a torrid attack as Wagner swung at a blistering .611 clip while Lisenbee terminated the ball at an even .500 efficiency.  Middle blocker Wagner added six blocks in her dominating effort.

Tuning the offense to a .359 attack percentage was setter Gina Clarke, as the junior dished out 48 assists while adding five digs on defense.  Libero Logan Holanchock combined with Whaley to limit the Panthers to a .118 team attack clip, notching 14 digs for UT.

Florida Tech turned to senior Alea Hamm for offense as the middle blocker led her squad with 11 kills while stopping four Spartan swings at the net.  Freshman Kiersten Rosa acted as the swiss-army knife of the Panthers team, notching seven kills from the right side while adding 19 assists, four digs, two blocks and a pair of service aces in her rounded performance.  The FIT squad was unable to match the ferocity of Tampa, falling in four sets to the No. 8 team in Division II.

The Spartans started the match with a bang, picking up a quick 25-13 win in the premier set of play.   Tampa spread its offense evenly as junior Demery Zachery led the floor with three kills.  Florida Tech's Hamm mirrored, but the swift-swinging Spartans proved too much for the Panthers defense, as UT hit .385 as a team.  Back row defense was the key to opening play as Whaley and Holanchock provided a strong passing duo, notching six and five digs, respectively.

Tampa's seniors ignited in the second stanza, combining for 14 of the team's 15 total kills, hitting at a mighty .565.  Wagner led the trio with six kills while pin hitters Lisenbee and Whaley swatted four each.  UT totaled four blocks with Wagner having a hand in three of them as the Spartans took a 2-0 advantage behind a 25-19 second set.

Florida Tech came to life in the third set, concluding with a 25-22 frame.  Whaley blasted six kills despite UT dropping the stanza.  Senior Megan Heffron dealt four kills but the outside hitting pair was unable to overcome the .429 set from the Panthers.

UT put the nail in the coffin in the fourth frame, securing the SSC title after a 25-15 final set.  Right side hitter Lisenbee unleashed a six-kill salvo to pummel the Panthers and secure the conference crown.

The championship marks the 11^th consecutive SSC title for the Tampa volleyball team and it is the 25^th in program history.  All but one of the SSC championships belongs to head coach Chris Catanach.

Tampa will continue its home stand with a Saturday matinee against rival Florida Southern College at 4 p.m. The Mocs earned a No. 17 ranking in the latest AVCA coaches poll before falling 3-1 to Florida Tech on Tuesday.  The Spartans took the previous contest 3-2 over FSC on its home court, besting the Mocs in Jenkins Field House on Oct. 8.  Tampa owns the all-time series against Florida Southern with a 69-56 record.

Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be provided through www.tampaspartans.com.

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