LAKE WALES, Fla. -- St. Thomas University bounced back after a Friday night loss with a win over conference opponent Warner University, Saturday afternoon at the Turner Athletic Center. STU dropped the first set to the Royals, but battled back taking the remaining three sets, winning, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-23.

Shanotta Bawek led the Bobcats (18-3, 7-2 The Sun Conference) with 15 kills and 16 digs and a block. Carly Durr recorded 15 kills and five digs, while Whitney Battoe had 11 kills, 18 digs and four service aces. Senior setter Dana Nowaczyk had 41 assists and 11 digs.

Both teams found themselves entrenched in a neck-and-neck battle until the middle of the first set. With the match tied at 12, Warner scored four unanswered points to take the lead. Despite putting up a courageous fight, the Bobcats were held in check by Warner's stingy defense to grab a one-set lead.

The Royals jumped to an early 7-2 lead as they dominated offensively, scoring five consecutive points. However, the Bobcats started to find their offensive rhythm as they exchanged several points with Warner. Trailing 14-9, the Bobcats went on a prowl, scoring six consecutive points to take the lead. After both sides swapped leads, St. Thomas went on a set-clinching run to break open 20-20 tie. The Bobcats outscored the Royals, 6-2, down the stretch, which was highlighted on a blast by Durr to put the set away.

In the third set, Warner used a five-point run to jump out to an early lead until the Bobcats answered with a four-point scoring streak. For the remainder of the set, STU trailed until a service error by Ashley Kube gave the Bobcats second life. STU reeled off five straight points to grab a 19-16 lead. Warner could not match pace with the Bobcats over the final few serves, and the Bobcats took a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Bobcats flipped the switch in the final set, getting off to a quick start by taking a 7-2 lead. The resilient Royals fought back to cut the deficit to one. After leads changed hands on multiple occasions, Durr and Bawek put down one kill apiece as St. Thomas mounted its final charge. Haley Bannister fired off two straight aces to put St. Thomas ahead by one. Warner scored one last point, but a service error by Adrienne Czaplewski, followed by a kill from Bawek ended the match.

St. Thomas heads to Kentucky for a three-match tournament hosted by Lindsey Wilson College. The Bobcats face off against Bryan College (Tenn.) at the Biggers Sports Center Friday at 8 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday against Campbellsville University at 11 a.m. and Lindsey Wilson College at 1 p.m.