No. 9 UTampa Defeats Florida Southern Before Heading East

Tampa, Fla. – The Spartans Spike Their Way Past The Moccasins

Final Score: Tampa 3 (1: 21-25, 2: 25-15, 3: 25-8, 4: 25-20) Florida Southern 1

Records: Tampa (21-2, 13-2 SSC), Florida Southern (12-11, 6-9 SSC)

Location: Bob Martinez Athletic Center | Tampa, FL.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

First Set: Florida Southern entered tonight's match strong, as they were able to capture 6 of the first 8 points in the set. Although Tampa was able to partially catch back up, when the Mocs scored 3 straight to gain the 12-7 advantage, Head Coach Chris Catanach called the first timeout of the night. The visitor's lead only grew during the middle of the set, now 19-12, following a small run of 5 of 6 points for the Mocs as the Spartans signaled another timeout. UTampa wasn't going down without a fight as a handful of Florida Southern errors cut the lead to 23-20, but the Mocs eventually closed out the set with a kill. | Score: 25-21 Florida Southern

Second Set: The Spartans and Moccasins exchanged a few quick points with one another to begin the second set but, Tampa then scored 9 in a row which included 3 blocks from Mak Carter and, setter of the week, Zoey Seput, plus another from Carter and Tess Schrenger. Although calling a timeout in the middle of the run, the Mocs were not able to catch the Spartans as the home lead grew to 18-9 as the set headed into another timeout from the visitors. In a set where Tampa's offense tallied 13 kills and a hitting percentage of .312, the Spartan defense held the Mocs to a hitting percentage of .024 and only 7 kills. | Score: 25-15 Tampa

Third Set: The dominance from the second set continued into the third for the Spartans; A strong kill from Schrenger, followed by a Nathaly Perez and Jenna Davis block, forced Florida Southern to call an early timeout, as the Spartans led 8-1. The Spartan strength continued through the middle of the set and a high-flying Kalli Cors kill sent the Moccasins into their second timeout of the set, which was scored 17-6 in favor of Tampa. Only conceding 2 points the rest of the set, another Cors kill and an ace from Seput closed out the Spartan-sided third set as the Mocs recorded a hitting percentage of -.194 and only 2 kills as an offense.  | Score: 25-8 Tampa

Fourth Set: The beginning of the fourth set was similar to that of the first, the two teams were neck-and-neck as they were tied a total of 9 times before a 3-0 run from the Spartans sent the Mocs into a timeout at 12-9. Seput assisted Perez on 2 kills following the break to help extend the home lead to an eventual 18-12. Just two plays after a towering kill from Davis, an unblockable kill from Perez caused Florida Southern to call another timeout as Tampa's lead was 22-17. Although Tampa needed a timeout of their own as Southern scored 2 very quick points after the break, powerful kills from Carter and Meghan Schreck closed out the match.   | Score: 25-20 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Sunshine State Conference Setter of the Week, Seput, recorded 41 assists.

• Cors (14), Perez (11), and Schrenger (11) led the Spartans with double-digit kills.

• Davis and Carter each tallied 6 blocks with Seput having 5 of her own.