Kennesaw State was swept by Florida Gulf Coast University 2-3 after a lengthy second set on Sunday, Oct. 1.
The first set started off rough for KSU with an attack and service error in the first 3 serves. Claire Parsons was subbed in shortly after and gained momentum for the Owls with a kill and block and the score became 9-11 halfway through the set. McKinley Ferguson helped the Owls take the lead with two kills and assists making the score 18-16. KSU won the set 25-21 with a kill from Parsons.
After the first set, the Owls had momentum in the second and started off with a kill from Manu Johnsen and Emma Schurfranz. The Eagles took a timeout early in the set and came back with a stronger offensive that the Owls could not compete with until Olivia Burrage was subbed in. Unfortunately, that was not enough for the Owls as they lost 22-25 from a kill by FGCU’s Outside Hitter Shelby Kent.
Johnsen started off the third set with a kill assisted by Ferguson, but the lead was short lived after Alexandra Zakutney had two kills and a block assist.
Maggie Butkovich received an attack error and Head Coach Keith Schunzel was animated towards the referee’s about the call. After a short deliberation, Schunzel received a yellow card. This only pushed the Owls offense as they came back and tied the set at nine.
Courtney Glotzbach eventually hit the ball outside of the line and received an attack error, however, FGCU Head Coach Matt Botsford challenged the point as a touch from a KSU player. The call stood as an attack error and the Owls came back with an ace from Johnsen and kills from Butkovich and freshman Gracie Pynes.
Kent and Zakutney fought back with seven kills total and it paid off when the Eagles won the set 20-25 with an error from Schurfranz.
The game has been tiring for both teams as they are equally limited in substitutions due to injuries. The veteran players for the Owls including Johnsen, Parsons and Schurfranz led the Owls to start the fourth set with two back-to-back kills and an FGCU error.
Head Coach Schunzel challenged a call made by the referees stating that the ball was inside the line. After a review of the play, the point was overturned in favor of the Owls and Johnsen followed it with a kill.
Pynes continued the lead for the Owls and created a personal record of 2 aces in a game. The fourth set ended in an ace by Schurfranz with a score of 25-22.
With a score of 2-2, the teams headed into the fifth set, with winning another conference game on their minds. Schurfranz started the set with a kill which was quickly followed up with service and attack errors from both teams. The Owls’ lead in the set was diminished by Skylar English and Zakutney.
With the Eagles only two points away from winning the final set, Parsons and Johnsen decreased the lead to three, but it wasn’t enough as a kill from English ended the set.
Johnsen led the game in kills and Parsons led it in blocks for the Owls. Parsons is only 45 blocks away from breaking the school record of 367 as she recorded five blocks during this match.
With a close game ending in a FGCU victory, the Owls’ new record is 8-6 (1-2).
The Owls play next on Oct. 6 in Jacksonville, Florida against the North Florida Ospreys.
