Gainesville, FL

Santa Fe College 14-10 (4-7) hosted the #16 Eastern Florida State College Falcons 15-9 (6-5) on Saturday Afternoon for Sophomore Day. The Saints won in four sets 25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 29-27.

The Titans took a 3-1 lead in the first set, but the Saints were able to take a 5-4 lead with two kills by Mariana Haas. The Saints extended the lead to 10-6 with a block by Maria Contreras and kills by Kailyn Howard and Mariana Haas. Maria Freitas had an ace following a Titans timeout to further extend the lead to 12-6. Aria Eisel had an ace to set the score to 17-13. The Titans then went on a 4-0 run to tie the set 17-17. A couple of kills by Mariana Haas and another block by Maria Contreras gave the Saints a 21-18 lead. The Titans tied the set 21-21, but the Saints won the first set 25-21, finalized by a kill by Kailyn Howard.

Linnea Preston started the second set with a block and a kill for the Saints, and the Saints took a 3-0 lead. The Titans tied the set 4-4, and they took the lead 6-5. The Titans controlled the second set, taking a 17-11 lead. Madison Villanueva added a kill for the Saints, and back-to-back kills by Kailyn Howard cut the deficit to 18-15. Linnea Preston added another block, but the Titans held on to win the second set 25-20.

An ace by Maria Freitas gave the Saints a 9-7 lead in the third set. Another ace by Freitas and a block by Kailyn Howard extended the lead to 12-7. Another block for Maria Contreras gave the Saints a 22-18 lead. A kill by Kailyn Howard gave the saints the third set win 25-20.

Kailyn Howard served an ace to give the Saints a 2-0 lead in the fourth set. After the Titans took the lead, back-to-back aces by Kailyn Howard tied the set 13-13. Her fourth ace of the set gave the Saints the lead 16-13. With the Titans threatening to tie the set, Madison Villanueva had a kill and Linnea Preston had a block to keep the lead for the Saints 22-19. The Saints won the fourth set and the match 29-27 with a kill by Kailyn Howard.

The Saints ended their regular season 15-10, 5-7. The Saints will await seeding for the FCSAA Division I Volleyball Championship, which begins on Friday, November 1^st at Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers, Florida.

After the game, the Saints celebrated their Sophomores Aria Eisel, Maria Freitas, Kierston Giesey, Lauanna Pino, and Maria Contreras.

Article By: Bryan Denton