Seniors Shine in 3-1 Victory Over Sharks

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 6 University of Tampa volleyball team concluded the regular season with a 3-1 win over Nova Southeastern University on Senior Day in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The Saturday matinee featured a pre-game tribute to six Spartan seniors as they competed in their last home game of the regular season.

UT improved to 26-5, 15-1 in Sunshine State Conference play after the win while the visiting Sharks end the year 19-12, 9-7 in SSC action.

The Tampa senior class combined for 47 kills, 30 digs and 15 total blocks as the leadership ravaged Nova Southeastern in dominating fashion. Leading the way was outside hitter Berkley Whaley, as the senior blasted a match-high 22 kills at a scorching .457 attack percentage to lead all players in both categories.  The St. Petersburg, Fla. native posted 20-plus kills for the sixth time this season while also spinning her 13^th double-double effort of the year by adding 13 digs.

Fellow senior Marissa Lisenbee posted her own double-double performance, terminating 10 kills in addition to a career-high 15 digs.  The right side hitter added five blocks in her rounded outing.

UT was a force at the net, stopping 15 Shark swings at the net.  Junior Demery Zachery notched a career-best nine total blocks, including a pair of solo efforts to combine with nine kills to narrowly miss her first double-double.  Senior Jessica Wagner picked up six total blocks as the Spartans limited NSU to a .051 attack percentage to close out SSC play.  Libero Logan Holanchock and setter Gina Clarke held the back-row defense with 19 and 17 digs, respectively, as Tampa stifled the swing of the Sharks through four frames.

The opening set was a back-and-forth battle, as each team clawed for an advantage.  The senior trio of Whaley, Lisenbee and Megan Heffron delivered three kills each while libero Holanchock notched eight digs.  After 14 tie scores and six lead changes, the Sharks emerged with a 27-25 win in the first set.

UT avenged its opening set loss by rolling through NSU 25-7 in the second stanza.  Whaley unloaded eight kills without committing an attack error while Zachery added four.  The Spartans hit .536 as a team without a single mark in the error column, adding five blocks on defense to hold the Sharks to a negative attack.  The serve of sophomore Kelsey Watts led UT on a 12-0 run as they jetted past Nova Southeastern.

The Spartans carried their momentum into the third set behind pin hitters Whaley and Lisenbee. The duo grounded five kills apiece while Clarke grabbed nine digs.  Tampa handily took a 2-1 match advantage with a 25-17 second set.

Head coach Chris Catanach's squad would not look back, as a 6-for-9 fourth frame from Whaley would seal the fate of NSU and give Tampa a much-needed regional victory.  Senior Caroline Clark added two key digs while freshman Holanchock finished the set with seven.

NSU outside hitter Dana Holger posted 13 kills to lead the Sharks on offense while right side hitter Sydney Cook picked up a match-best 23 digs, adding seven kills and a pair of blocks.  Nova Southeastern was unable to rally behind its senior duo, falling in the fourth set by a 3-1 final score.

Tampa will await the NCAA Division II volleyball selection show for postseason seeding.  The show will reveal the field of 64 teams who will compete for the National Championship.

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