Box Score (PDF) | Box Score (HTML)

KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State volleyball team rallied from two sets down to force a deciding fifth set against No. 1 FGCU in the ASUN Tournament Final, but fell just short of completing the comeback, falling to the Eagles, 25-20, 27-25, 22-25, 17-25, 15-12, Saturday night.
 
Three Owls finished with double-digit kills led by senior Sydni Shelton who recorded a season-high 18 kills to lead both teams.
 
How it happened: It was a battle from the onset as FGCU (26-6, 15-1) took the early lead over KSU (24-7, 14-2) behind a 4-0 run to make it 8-4. The Eagles remained in front as the two teams traded points until a 5-1 run pulled the Owls in front 16-15.
 
FGCU responded with a 6-0 run to lead 21-16. KSU attempted to rally after the Eagles earned set point, but a service error gave FGCU the opening set victory 25-20.
 
The two teams traded points to open the second set with KSU gaining the edge, 9-6, behind a block from Quin Sutphin and Lauren Chastang. The Eagles then went on a 5-0 run to retake the lead 11-9. Both teams proceeded to go point-for-point as FGCU maintained a two-point lead, 18-16.
 
The Eagles pulled away, 22-17, with a 4-0 run, but a kill from Shelton sparked a 7-1 run for the Owls capped off by an ace from Chastang to earn set point 24-23. FGCU fought back taking four of the next five points to win the set 27-25 and take a 2-0 lead at the intermission.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Owls battled in the third set, tied 9-9 early on. The two teams remained deadlocked throughout most of the set with 12 ties and four lead changes throughout the third. Tied 18-18, an error from the Eagles followed by a kill from Shelton gave KSU a 20-18 advantage.
 
The Owls kept their slim lead, using a kill from Chastang and an FGCU error to earn set point, 24-21, before a block from Lexi Broadwater and Liesl Engelbrecht sealed the set.
 
Riding that momentum, the Owls came out firing to open the fourth set, scoring the first five straight points. KSU built its lead to as high as eight points, 12-4, following back-to-back kills from Sutphin. The Owls maintained a seven-point lead throughout the set, pushing it to 10 points, 23-13, following a 3-0 run. Chastang put the final exclamation on the set with a kill to send the match into a fifth set.
 
In the final set, FGCU took a 4-0 lead behind back-to-back kills from Courtney VanLiew and Snowy Burnam. KSU kept it close, but trailed the Eagles 8-4 as both teams switched sides. The Owls then came roaring back with a 4-1 run, featuring three kills from Shelton, to tie the set 10-10.
 
After trading points, the Eagles closed out the match recording four of the final five points to win the set 15-12.
 
Notes: The Owls finish the year 24-7 overall and 14-2 in the ASUN, both record win totals … Shelton's 18 kills brings her career total to 1,024, good enough for fourth all-time … Liesl Engelbrecht had her fourth straight game in double-figures recording 13 kills for a career-high .632 hitting percentage … Engelbrecht along with Quin Sutphin and Lexi Broadwater all recorded five blocks, tying Broadwater's career-high … Broadwater recorded 54 assists on the night, her second straight match with 50 or more assists, fourth of the last five … the junior setter finished with a double-double recording 12 digs to go along with her 54 assists … Lauren Chastang recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 11 kills and 16 digs … Karlee Groover logged a career-high 29 digs on the night as four Owls finished with 10 or more digs … KSU's 79 digs marked a season-high.
 
All-Tournament Team: Seniors Sydni Shelton and Liesl Engelbrecht along with junior Lexi Broadwater were all named to the ASUN All-Tournament Team. All three Owls hit over .300 for the tournament, led by Engelbrecht who hit .462. Shelton had 28 kills over the two matches with seven blocks while both Engelbrecht and Broadwater had nine blocks each. Broadwater recorded 109 assists during the two matches, averaging 10.9 assists per set.
 
Quotes: Head Coach Keith Schunzel
On the five-set match…
"Congrats to FGCU and Matt, they earned the title this year and I'm happy for him and their program, but I have nothing but pride tonight in this team and our program. Our players played as hard as we could have possibly played and left their hearts on the court, but we came up just a little bit short. Coming back from 0-2 tonight against that team, after last night's five-set win, was a nearly impossible feat that we were only one or two plays away from pulling off."
 
On overcoming adversity…
"The adversity this team overcame this year speaks volumes about the type of women and leaders we have."
 
On KSU's seniors…
"The four seniors finished their careers tonight by playing an incredible match and I'm so sad for them, but so happy for them too. They finish as the winningest class in program history and changed not only this program, but my family and this athletic department. We will be forever indebted to all that they've given all of us."
 
On the future…
"I can promise you one thing, the Owls will be back."