Lakeland, Fla. - The St. Thomas University volleyball team battled hard in their first weekend tournament of the season, yet they were unable to get a win. The team lost three matches total, one to Northwood University (MI), Palm Beach Atlantic, and St. Leo University each at the Florida Southern/ St. Leo Tournament.
Adriana Montilla kept the statisticians busy and the defenders on their heels for the Bobcats leading the team in kills with 29 total over the weekend. With Montillia putting points on the board Julianne Rivera was her defensive counter successfully totaling 38 digs. Unfortunately their combined effort was not able to make up for the apparent difference in size between the Bobcats and their opponents. The Bobcats had 11 blocks through three games compared to their opponents' 34.5 blocks.
The Bobcats had their first match of the weekend against Northwood University (MI) August 29 at 4:30 PM. The Bobcats began game one slow forcing head coach Mauricio Diaz to use two timeouts early. By the time the second timeout was called the score was 15-5. Fernanda Neves was able to shine through the tough times getting her first kill and assist as a Bobcat. Despite the slow start the Bobcats continued to fight hard and matched Northwood point for point ending the game 25-15.
In game two the Bobcats started slow again spotting Northwood four points early and eventually allowing the score to climb to 11-3 before coach Diaz called an effective timeout that charged a nice Bobcat rally. The Bobcats brought the score with within a point after a bad set by a Northwood player made the score 21-20. Neves was instrumental in the comeback setting her teammates up and totaling four assists. The Bobcat charge would slow down at 20 though and the final score of the game was 25-20.
The third game of the match started like the other two as the Bobcats began slow. The Bobcats would get on the board on a kill by Alexia Secondo which made the score 4-1. Though excitement was created by Secondo's kill the team was unable to turn the excitement into momentum and lost the game 25-13 ending the match Northwood (MI) 3, St. Thomas University 0.
The Bobcats would play their next match of the tournament against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish. In game one the Bobcats showed they learned their lesson from the previous match and started much better. The Bobcats established a 6-4 lead after Montilla delivered an intense kill over the net set up by an assist from Neves. The Sailfish and Bobcats continued to battle it out until the end. As the end of the game approached Karla Vargas improved her play and slammed down three kills to score three of the Bobcats final five points. This put the score at 21-19, the Bobcats would not score again though and lost the game 25-19.
Game two was a bit of the same story as the Bobcats battled hard early yet this time they struggled to put points on the scoreboard after they scored their ninth point. The Sailfish lead ballooned to nine as the scoreboard read 19-10. The Bobcats did not give up though and managed to fight their way back into the game. The Bobcats put together a balanced 10-4 scoring run of their own, totaling multiple kills over the stretch run was Vargas, Montilla, and Secondo. The run might have used up most of the Bobcats' energy as they were unable to reach 25 first, losing the game 25-21.
Game three between the Saifish and the Bobcats would be close from start to finish. The Bobcats looked like they gathered the momentum necessary to win the game when Secondo received a pass from Neves which she instinctively placed on the other side of the net for the kill. Though that play was instrumental the Sailfish managed to maintain momentum and the lead and won the game 25-19 and the match 3-0.
A few hours later the Bobcats would take the court again at the FL Southern/St. Leo Tournament to face one of the host teams, the St. Leo Lions. Daniela Orlandini helped to get the Bobcats off to a good start in the first game of their match versus the Lions as she made good on a kill set up by Neves. With the good start the Bobcats should have maintained the momentum but lost control of it after a few ball handling error and service errors. Coach Diaz called back to back timeouts which rendered ineffective as the Bobcats may have been mentally out of the game after the string of errors. They would lose the game 25-17.
Game two of the match would start different from any other the Bobcats played up until that point as the Bobcats put the first point on the board. The score came on a kill by Nicore Barraza from Orlandini. The Bobcats kept things going and saw their first 3-0 lead of the season. It was still early in the game though and the Lions managed to tie the game back up at three. Later in the match the Bobcats would try to prove the 3-0 lead was not a fluke and secured a 15-10 lead. Like the previous 3-0 lead the 15-10 would not last and the Bobcats would have to earn their first victory in a game all season. The final score was 25-22, the game was ended in dramatic fashion on a kill by Montillia from Neves.
With the match tied at one game a piece both teams took the court knowing the third was an important one. During the game the Bobcats jumped out to an early 6-3 lead after a kill by Montillia from Neves. The Bobcats would lose control of their early lead and would be chasing the Lions for the remainder of the match and eventually lost it 25-18.
The Bobcats might have been a little fatigued mentally and physically as they began the fourth game of the match and struggled at the beginning trailing by as many as four points. The Bobcats would regain their focus though and put together a run that allowed them to capture the lead. The Bobcats strong play forced the Lions to call a timeout to regroup. Montillia totaled four kills in the run that gave the Bobcats the lead. The 15-14 Bobcat lead would not last long though and St. Leo would not relinquish it again winning the game 25-21 and the match 3-1. The Bobcats will play their next game Tuesday August 2 at Palm Beach Atlantic.
