FORT MYERS, Fla. – Entering the day in a four-way tie for second place in the Atlantic Sun, FGCU volleyball fell behind 2-1 only to take the fourth and fifth sets and defeat Kennesaw State 3-2 (25-23, 14-15, 24-26, 25-17, 15-8) Friday evening (Oct. 9). The Eagles are now 3-1 in A-Sun play and 12-7 overall during 2015, moving one game in front of the Owls who stand at 2-2 in conference action and 10-5 overall.

Leigh Pudwill's (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) career-day headlined an offensive effort for the Eagles that saw four players reach double-digits in kills. Pudwill ended the night with 16 kills and 10 digs, her second double-double of the season. Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) tallied 14 kills and 16 digs for her ninth double-double of the season and second of the week. Marlene Moeller (Lüdinghausen, Germany/Pascal Gymnasium) tied a season-high with 10 kills against the Owls while Eleonora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) finished with 12 kills. Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic High School) supplied 51 assists and Vanessa Benke's (Toledo, Brazil/College of Central Florida) 27 digs was a career-high.

"It was a pretty interesting match tonight," said head coach Matt Botsford. "The first 18 points or so of the first set we were playing at a pretty good level and then Kennesaw caught up and found some things they could pressure us with. I really liked the way we continued to battle and stay positive. Kennesaw was firing on all cylinders in the second set so even though we lost the third set, I was happy with how it unfolded. We continued to push and we were able to change the match from the service line."

The Green and Blue held the Owls to hitting percentages of less than .100 in three of the five sets in the match, including their 25-23 first set win. Kennesaw State responded and pushed FGCU to a 2-1 deficit in the match with a 25-14 and 26-24 second and third set victories. The Green and Blue rallied in the fourth set, coming away with a 25-17 win to force a fifth set. In the decisive game, FGCU took advantage of an Owl offense that hit -.211 to claim the fifth set 15-8.

The Eagles trailed 0-2 to begin the opening set, but it would be the only time the Green and Blue would trail to begin the match. Kazarian and Pudwill played a role in the first six points for FGCU, with three kills from Kazarian, two from Pudwill and a block from Kazarian and Moeller. The latter of the two kills for each started a 7-2 run for the home side with Carroll picking up her first kill of the match and joined Lauren Tutwiler (Louisville, Ky./Assumption High School) on two blocks, extending the lead to 12-5. Kennesaw State rallied to cut the lead to 14-9, when the duo of Pudwill and Kazarian struck again, combining for three kills in a 5-1 run. Moeller joined in this time, contributing a kill and a solo block. The Owls refused to go away, cutting the Eagle advantage to 22-20 but Carroll, Pudwill and Kazarian tallied the final three kills for FGCU, giving the hosts a 25-23 win. Pudwill led the way for FGCU, recording six kills to begin the day. Kazarian added five kills while hitting .500 and Carroll picked up four of her own kills. FGCU outhit Kennesaw State .200 to .081 in the opening set.

The second set was tied at four when the Owls offense picked up. A 6-2 run put the Eagles behind 10-6 and after a Kazarian kill, the Owls came back with a 4-2 run. Trailing 15-11, a Carroll kill brought the Eagles to within 15-12 but that's as close as the Eagles would get in the set from that point, falling 25-14. Moeller hit 1.000 in the set, putting away all four of her attempts.

Following intermission, Elisa Anne Aldrich (Charleston, S.C./Wando High School) started the third set and made an immediate impact, joining Kazarian in a pair of blocks to put FGCU in front 2-0. The lead would grow to 6-2 only for Kennesaw State to come back and tie the set at nine. In a set that witnessed 10 service errors, it was the service of Caroline Jordan (Orlando, Fla./William R Boone High School) that gave FGCU a brief lead. Following a Moeller kill, Jordan came in to serve and immediately delivered with an ace, followed by a Carroll kill and a block from Aldrich and Rick. Once again, Kennesaw State rallied to tie the set, this time at 19 as both sides traded points. With the set tied at 24, the Owls recorded the next two points, taking the third set 26-24.

The Eagles got the start it needed in the fourth set behind kills from Moeller and Carroll to lead 6-2. The lead shrunk to 8-6 and the set remained close as the set reached 12-10. The middle blockers Moeller and Pudwill led the way in a 3-0 run for the Green and Blue, capped by a Pudwill ace. Again the Owls would cut into the Eagle lead, but FGCU ultimately forced a fifth set. With the lead down to 17-15, it was the servicing of Kennesaw State that gave FGCU side out, allowing Carroll to serve and promptly record an ace beginning the final push for FGCU. Kazarian's third and final kill of the set was followed by a block from her and Moeller, moving the score to 23-17. Kennesaw State earned side out with a kill, but a service error and an attack error brought the set to an end, with FGCU coming out on top 25-17.

FGCU used a 9-1 run to build a comfortable lead and claim the decisive fifth set. Tied at three early, an attack error gave FGCU side out and Carroll padded the lead with her 14th kill of the match. The middle blockers Moeller and Pudwill recorded kills around a Benke ace as the lead for FGCU grew to 12-4. FGCU would go on to win 15-8 on a service error by the Owls. Pudwill hit .429 in the final set with four kills to help FGCU seal the victory.

UP NEXT

With Jacksonville's five-set win over NJIT Friday, FGCU remained in a tie with the Dolphins for second place in the A-Sun. The Eagles look to solidify their position against USC Upstate Saturday (Oct. 10) at 7 p.m. inside Alico Arena.
 
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 31-18 (.633) record, including a 14-4 (.777) 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.