Score: Kennesaw State 2, FGCU 3 (25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 24-26, 11-15 )
Records: Kennesaw State (18-11, 12-2), FGCU (26-5, 11-3)
Key Players: Anaiah Boyer (15 kills, six blocks and eight digs), Rachel Taylor (Nine blocks and six kills, Katarina Morton (22 digs)
 
Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (XML) 
 
THE STORYLINE:
In a year with many positives, the 2016 season ended for the Kennesaw State volleyball team after coming up short against FGCU in the ASUN Tournament Semi-Finals in five sets.
 
SCHUNZEL QUOTES:
On the tough loss:
"This one is going to hurt for a long time because our players and staff put their hearts and souls into this team day in and day out and do an incredible job of making Kennesaw State volleyball what it is. So when things don't go our way, like they didn't for us tonight, it is gut wrenchingly painful."
 
On the match:
"I'm not sure either team played very well in this match, but both teams played very hard and battled. We had a chance in the fourth to finish them off, but we didn't close and then we got a decent lead early in the fifth, but couldn't pull away and those are obviously frustrating."
 
On the season as a whole:
"This was another record breaking year for us, and when the dust settles, I hope everyone will be incredibly proud of what we achieved, because I know that I am, but that doesn't make it hurt any less right now. I'll always remember the tenacity of this group, the belief that these women carried with them, and the way that this team matured in the past year."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
First Set: After having a first round bye, the Owls jumped all over FGCU to start the match going up 8-3 forcing the Eagles to use an early timeout. FGCU cut the lead to three, but KSU responded to go on a 5-0 run with Karla Radillo serving to take a 19-11 lead putting the set out of reach for the Eagles. Kennesaw State closed out the set 25-19 on a Sydni Shelton kill. During the first set, KSU set a new team single-season record when they got their 150^th service ace of the season.  

Second Set: Early in the second set was all about the each team taking turns making runs. Gulf Coast took a 6-2 early lead before the Owls responded to tie the score at six. Despite battling back, KSU couldn't grab a lead. The Eagles kept the pressure on taking a lead by as many as six before tying the match up with each team having one set.

Third Set: The Owls wanted to take the momentum back early in the third and did just that leading 10-3 and forcing Gulf Coast to use both of their timeouts. After the Owls led 14-6, FGCU went on a 7-0 spurt to get within one. After collecting themselves, KSU surged back ahead 20-15. Kennesaw State closed out the set 25-20 holding FGCU to a -.065 hitting percentage.
 
Fourth Set: The Eagles once again jumped up early on the Owls in the fourth, but unlike the second set, Kennesaw State clawed themselves back to tie the score at 18. The teams went point for point after that and KSU finally took a lead up 23-22 after a block from Rachel Taylor and Kelly Marcinek. Gulf Coast won two straight points after that, and KSU spoiled one set point, but couldn't spoil the next one as FGCU tied the match up forcing a fifth set.
 
Fifth Set: Kennesaw State did a good job of throwing the first punch in decisive fifth set, going up 4-1 and forcing FGCU to use its first timeout. The play was back and forth until FGCU went up 9-7. The Owls made one last attempt to come back, but didn't have enough as the Eagles secured the victory 15-11.
 
#NESTNOTES

• In the match, Kennesaw State broke the previous single-season ace record of 149 in the second set. KSU finished the year with 155.
• The Owls had 14.0 blocks in a very physical matchup with FGCU. Rachel Taylor led the way with nine of those 14.
• Anaiah Boyer and Sydni Shelton each had double-digit kills as Boyer had 15 and Shelton had 11.
• The Owls had two seniors on this year's team in Kelly Marcinek and Fanise Cannon.

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State volleyball news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsVB or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.