Spartans drop their first SSC game to Saint Leo.

TAMPA Fla. – The No. 13-ranked University of Tampa volleyball faces their first Sunshine State Conference loss against Saint Leo University.

HOW IT HAPPENED MATCH ONE

In the first set, Tampa gets the first point of the game from a service error by Saint Leo's right-side hitter Victoria Omoregie. The Spartans first kill was by freshman Mackenzie Dufresne. Dufresne finished the first set with a total of two kills and helped assist one block. Tampa jumped to a lead behind three kills in a row from Katie Mckiel. From there on, the Lions continued to trail the rest of the set. Sorrel Houghton closed out the set with two major kills, giving the Spartans the first set at 25-16.

In the second set, Saint Leo tried keeping it close as no team could get a good jump on the lead and stayed within at least two points of each other. Half-way through, Tampa gained a five-point lead off a kill by Dufresne, 15-10. Kamari Potter was of much help as she totaled three kills in the set along with a block assist. Saint Leo came back from a 21-13 deficit to trailing by only one point based off of service and receiving errors committed by Tampa. However, the Spartans could not hold on to the lead as they lost the second set 24-26.

In the third set, both teams came out scoring point for point. Saint Leo went on a 13-0 run that gave them a 15-6 lead. Tampa started to regain some confidence as they came back within five points at 13-18. The Lions finished strong, keeping Tampa behind by five.

In the fourth set, Houghton stilled carried her heat over from the previous three sets, giving the Spartans a fresh start with two quick kills. Saint Leo's outside-hitter Michelle Cuervo made it hard for the Spartans as she had five kills in the set. Houghton and Potter continued to give their all as they combined for seven kills in the set. The Lions, as a team, outscored Tampa in kills 17-11 resulting in the final set going to Saint Leo 25-22.

INSIDE THE STATS

• Mckiel and Houghton combined for 28 kills totals.
• Sammy Mueller led in assists with 41.
• Three Spartans finished in double-digit figures in digs. Sarah Luoma with 11, Mueller with 10, and Nicole Dominguez with 12.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Potter tied her career-high in kills with nine.
• The Spartans are now 5-5 on the year.

UP NEXT

UT will travel to Miami Shores to face-off against Barry University on Friday, September 27, 2019, at 7 p.m.

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