TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. ( Nov. 11, 2023) – In a must-win seminal match, Florida National University’s women’s volleyball team was unable to squeeze out a win over the College of the Ozarks Bobcats. FNU notched its fourth straight loss of the tournament and ended the 2023 season with hard-fought matches over three days in Temple Terrace, Fla.
In the first set, the Ozarks easily took the opening point 25-10 over FNU. The Ozarks’ height at the net, held FNU to just six kills in the frame, two of which came from Layla Cortez. The Bobcats posted a .467 hitting percentage in the first and executed 14 kills. FNU’s Leila Alves committed a blocking error to end the frame and give a kill to Bailey Chamberlain.
FNU roared back in the second, posting a tight competition similar to these teams’ first meeting of the tournament on Nov. 10. But the Ozarks offense was brilliant with 15 kills and a .211 hitting percentage. Alves picked up a nice block down the stretch of the frame before a block error from Gabriela Gonzalez gave the Bobcats a 25-20 win. Notably, Sofia Moreno Bendala recorded two kills in the set.
The Conquistadors’ season came to a close in a tight battle where FNU fell 25-19. FNU took an early 3-0 lead before three service aces from Anna Howe helped the Ozarks take a 4-3 lead. Juliana Santos posted back-to-back kills in the frame but the Bobcats proved too much for the Conquistadors to handle. An attack error from Cortez and a kill from Bri Linehan ended FNU’s 2023 campaign.
Cortez posted eight kills in the loss and Taylor Purdy was all over the court with 22 digs. Taysha Ortega put up 11 assists and three kills.
