WEST PAKM BEACH, FLA. – St. Thomas University Volleyball (10-14, 8-7 TSC) fell in Sun Conference play to Keiser University (18-14, 6-9 TSC) in five-sets (21-25, 25-27, 26-24, 28-26, 9-15) on Wednesday night.

KU came out of the gates aggressive, as the Seahawks had the Bobcats trailing 0-6 to open up the first set, which forced STU to burn a quick timeout to regain their composure and slow the KU momentum. Following the break, Arianna Bolinger attempted to bring the Bobcats back into the match, as the freshman recorded three straight points off a pair of kills and service ace to get St. Thomas on the board. After trimming the Keiser lead to just two points at 6-8, STU was not able to capitalize as Keiser extended their lead to six to put STU behind 7-13. Bolinger once again rallied the Bobcats, as the team cut the lead to just two once again as the score sat at 13-15 before Keiser put STU away with a six-point run to keep the Bobcats down and close out the first set at 21-25.

St. Thomas once again dug themselves into a hole in the second set, as Keiser led 2-8. Krista Kolbinskie spirited another Bobcats comeback, recording four consecutive kills to bring the match to even as STU went on a 6-0 run. The two teams battled back-and-forth for the duration of the set, exchanging leads and forcing ties 11-times as the score was even at 25-25. KU closed out STU with two consecutive errors by the Bobcats as the Seahawks took a 0-2 lead.

The Bobcats had their "backs against the wall" and were in need of a rally to fight off a Sun Conference sweep at the hands of the playoff-bound Seahawks. St. Thomas was trailing once again at 5-9 before rattling off five consecutive points to claim the lead at 10-9 following a Courtney White kill. STU did not forfeit the lead the rest of the set, staying alive and claiming the set win at 26-24 after back-to-back Bolinger kills once again.

In the fourth set, the Bobcats charged to a 3-0 lead before Keiser won eight-of-the-next-nine points to force an STU timeout trailing 4-8. The needed break stalled Seahawk momentum as KU committed three straight errors, followed by another Bolinger kill to tie the match at 8-8. Bolinger and Kolbinksie kept adding to their kill totals as each recorded over 20-kills in the match and brought the Bobcats within one of Keiser at 20-21. KU capitalized off errors by STU to put St. Thomas on the brink of losing the set and the match by taking a 20-23 advantage to force another STU timeout. Bolinger once again revived the Bobcats as the team once again tied the match at 24-24 following back-to-back points by Nathaly Alvarez and Bolinger. Kolbinskie led the Bobcats to the set win at 28-26 as she finished the set with two consecutive kills to send the match the distance.

In the decisive fifth set between two Sun Conference Tournament-bound clubs, the Bobcats attempt at the improbable comeback fell just short, as the team lost15-9.

Bobcat Leaders
Krista Kolbinskie: 27 kills (season-high) and 24 digs
Arianna Bolinger: 22 kills (season-high), 13 digs, solo block
Nathaly Alvarez: 34 assists and four block assists
 
St. Thomas will conclude their regular season and honor their four seniors: Nathaly Alvarez, Courtney White, Haley Bannister and Krista Kolbinskie on Saturday, November 3^rd against Warner University in a match-up that will be seen in the quarterfinals of the Sun Conference tournament.