NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a battle for first place in the Atlantic Sun, FGCU volleyball fell 3-0 (14-25, 19-25, 15-25) to the defending A-Sun regular season champions Lipscomb Sunday, Oct. 4. Both teams entered the match with 2-0 records in conference play and with the loss the Eagles drop to 10-7 overall and 2-1 in the A-Sun. Lipscomb improved to 10-7 overall and 3-0 in conference action.

"Right now our ball handling issues continue to put us in bad positions from the start," said head coach Matt Botsford. "We saw signs of this at NJIT and with the way Lipscomb serves, if we didn't have an answer, we were going to be at a big disadvantage. Our offensive output was minimal and that was a function of great serving and defense by Lipscomb."

After earning A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors, Lauren Tutwiler (Louisville, Ky./Assumption High School) showed her offensive prowess, leading the Eagles with six kills. The sophomore's .625 hitting percentage was the fifth-best performance in the A-Sun this season. Marlene Moeller (Lüdinghausen, Germany/Pascal Gymnasium) and Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) chipped in four kills each from their middle position. Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) and Eleonora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) both recorded a pair of kills as the Eagles couldn't find a rhythm offensively against the Bisons.

The Green and Blue fell behind early to open the day and dropped a 25-14 decision in the first set. After trailing early in the second stanza, the Eagles used a 7-1 run and led through the middle stages, but ultimately fell 25-19. In the third set, the Bisons finished off the match with a 25-15 victory.

Lipscomb put FGCU in an early 7-2 deficit, forcing the Eagles to call timeout. Out of the break, Moeller brought the gap to 8-4, the closest the Eagles would get during the set. Lipscomb would go on an 11-5 run before a timeout was called by the Eagles trailing 19-9. Both sides recorded five points in the final moments, as the Bisons took the opening set 25-14. The middle blocks, Moeller and Tutwiler, each gathered three kills in the first set to lead the Eagles.

The Green and Blue faced another early deficit resulting in a timeout trailing 6-2. This time, the Eagles responded with kills from Carroll, Pudwill and an ace from Carroll to go on a 7-1 run, moving in front 9-7. The Eagles kept their two-point lead and extended it on a block from Kazarian and Moeller, pushing the lead to 14-11. The hosts would come back to tie and take a 19-17 lead on a 5-0 run late in the set as the match reached a crucial point. Needing side out, the Eagles took advantage of an error from Lipscomb, only for the Bisons to finish the set off 25-19 with a 6-1 run.

FGCU stayed within a pair of points and had multiple opportunities to tie the third set early on. Lipscomb however used an 8-2 run to open up a 14-7 lead. Pudwill gave the Eagles side out to stop the run momentarily but the Green and Blue were unable to close the gap any further. The Bisons won the final set 25-15.  

"Our response to today is my focus now," Botsford added. "We have some major deficiencies that we have to manage better and that will start in the practice gym."

UP NEXT

The Eagles wrap up their five-match road swing with a contest Tuesday, Oct. 6 against FIU. FGCU then returns home for its first A-Sun home matches against Kennesaw State and USC Upstate on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

FOLLOW ALONG
 
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
 
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his second year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program and his teams have combined for an overall 29-18 (.617) record, including a 13-4 (.764) mark in A-Sun play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place finish in the A-Sun. Botsford's team also had five players recognized as All-Conference honorees, to set a new program high. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. Botsford is a former professional volleyball player and is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University, where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag FeedFGCU to help.