Spartans Welcome Lynn For Friday Battle
The No. 22 University of Tampa volleyball team will square-off with Lynn for a 7 p.m. bout at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The Saturday match against Barry University has been postponed due to weather concerns.
TAMPA, Fla. – Despite the best efforts of Hurricane Matthew, the No. 22 University of Tampa volleyball team is set to host Lynn University for a Friday night showdown at the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The 7 p.m. Friday contest will go on as scheduled, however the Saturday contest against Barry has been postponed due to weather concerns during travel.
The Matchup: No. 22 University of Tampa (9-4, 3-2 SSC) vs. Lynn University (9-4, 3-2 SSC)
• The conference leader in kills per set will meet the SSC's best team at limiting opposing kills, as Allee Stelogeannis averages 4.46 kills per set while Lynn as a team has limited opponents to 9.98 kills per set on average.
• Both teams are coming off SSC victories with Lynn sweeping then-No. 21 Florida Southern College in consecutive sets. The Fighting Knight's upset win is the team's first victory over a ranked opponent this season in three matchups.
• Lynn head coach Adam Milewski is one of three active SSC coaches that have tallied a win over Tampa.
Date/Time: Friday, October 7 at 7 p.m.
Location: Bob Martinez Athletics Center | Tampa, Fla.
Last Time Out: Tampa defeated Florida Tech 3-1 in its most recent matchup, besting the Panthers on the road for its third SSC win. Sophomore Gen Beaumier finished the match with 12 kills at a .423 attack percentage while fellow pin hitter Molly McAlvany added six kills at a torrid .417 clip. Senior Stelogeannis led all athletes with 15 kills as the Tampa offense was most successful from the pins. Defensively, libero Logan Holanchock held the Panthers offense with 17 digs. Setters Jen Aprile and Sammy Mueller each spun a double-double, assisting 17 and 26 attackes, respectively, as the duo notched 10 digs apiece.
About the Spartans: Stelogeannis leads the conference in kills per set, averaging 4.46 with 223 total kills. The senior is converting at a respectable .272 attack clip over 13 matches. Sophomore Holanchock is the leader of the Spartan back row, totaling 211 digs in addition to 13 service aces.
About the Fighting Knights: Senior Cleuza Porto leads Lynn offensively, as the outside hitter has 217 kills at a .238 attack clip. Middle blocker Lydia West ranks second with 145 kills at a .310 rate, also leading the defense at the net with 37 total blocks. Libero Katie Knight is the team leader in digs with 217, averaging 4.04 digs per set.
Series History: The Spartans own an astonishing 38-1 overall record against Lynn for the all-time series lead, with the lone loss coming during the 2015 season to snap the Spartans SSC consecutive wins record. Tampa fell in five sets to the Fighting Knights on the road but was able to rebound in the most recent matchup, winning by in straight-sets on November 19, 2015.
Tickets: Tickets for are $5 for adults, senior citizens and coaches. Children under 12 will be admitted free. UT students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with a valid student ID.
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