NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Cortney VanLiew and Amanda Carroll each produced 16 kills as the FGCU volleyball team bounced back from a tough loss Friday with a 3-1 win (25-18, 25-18, 19-25, 25-23) over Lipscomb on the road Saturday evening.

After Lipscomb (7-8, 1-2 ASUN) won the third set to keep the match alive, FGCU (10-6, 2-1 ASUN) closed things out by hitting .400 in the fourth set on only one attack error. Lipscomb had 16 service errors as a team, including one on match point.

Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS), who had 16 kills and hit .361, picked up her fourth and fifth kills of the match early in the second set. In doing so, she moved past Olivia Mesner (1,132 kills from 2011-14) for second place on the program's career list, which is topped by USA Beach Volleyball Olympian Brooke Youngquist Sweat, who had 1,167 kills from 2004-07. Carroll now has 1,144 kills.

Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) tallied 38 assists and added five kills over eight attacks. Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) had a team-high 13 digs. Carroll added nine digs, and Courtney Stephens (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park HS) chipped in eight. VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) finished one kill shy of matching her career-high. 

"While I am extremely happy to walk out of here with a win, what I'm most excited about was the team's response to a very specific challenge that we presented them with," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "We have an expectation within this program, a standard relative to our preparation and focus that we did not meet on Friday night. Regardless of the outcome night to night, we have an obligation to each other that we did not meet. Today, these girls showed me a lot about who they are and how much that concept means to them. We had some great individual performances tonight, but those are secondary to the collective effort we got from everyone."

Coming off a season-low .096 hitting percentage in a three-set loss to Kennesaw State on Friday, FGCU started strong offensively Saturday, which led to a .316 overall team hitting percentage. Carroll picked up a kill on the match's opening point, and the Eagles eventually opened up a 14-7 lead. During that opening stretch, FGCU hit .438 with nine kills over 16 attempts. Both teams then split the next 14 points as FGCU's percentage dropped to .240, but VanLiew smacked home a kill off an errant Lipscomb pass to end the opening set. In the opening frame, FGCU hit .345. Rick had 10 assists, while VanLiew and Snowy Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) each had four kills. In fact, Burnam hit .667 over six attempts in the set. Defensively, FGCU held Lipscomb to a .226 hitting percentage.

After Carroll moved into second place in career kills to open the second set, FGCU pushed its lead to 11-7, which forced a Lipscomb timeout. VanLiew was up to seven kills, while Rhoades had seven of the team's 19 digs at that point. Three players had five or more kills, as well, for the Eagles. Lipscomb, however, responded with four straight points to knot things up as FGCU hit .235 on the set's first 22 points.

VanLiew and Daniele Serrano (Sanford, Fla./Seminole HS) then teamed up for a big block out of the timeout, and VanLiew sent down her eighth kill to put FGCU up 19-15, which forced another Lipscomb timeout. On set point, Lipscomb was originally called for an ace, but a replay revealed the ball was out and FGCU took a two-set lead. The Eagles hit .367 in the second set.

The third set saw VanLiew pick up her 10th kill on the opening point, but Lipscomb rallied and took a 15-12 lead during a run in which FGCU called two timeouts. Lipscomb continued its strong play and eventually won the set behind Carlyle Nusbaum, who had 13 kills through three sets. Lipscomb hit .304 as a team in the frame with Maddie Phillips leading the way at .692 with nine kills through that point in the match.

VanLiew helped FGCU seize momentum early in the fourth set as her ace, followed by the first attack error from Phillips, gave FGCU the first two points. VanLiew then had three kills during a stretch in which the Eagles took a 12-8 lead, forcing a Lipscomb timeout. Out of the break, Lipscomb pulled within two, which forced a timeout for the Green and Blue. Later in the set, Rick had a kill and then teamed up with Kaitlan Krivdo (Hope Mills N.C./Grays Creek HS) for a big block that put FGCU up 23-20. Lipscomb scored three of the next four points, but their 16th service error ended the match.

FGCU is now 6-16 all-time against Lipscomb, who had swept Stetson on Friday and were picked as the preseason favorites to win the ASUN Conference.

With the win Saturday, FGCU also concludes a 10 match road trip. The Eagles return home this Friday for a 7 p.m. matchup against USC Upstate. They will then host NJIT the next day at 6 p.m. Friday's match will be a Whiteout. 
 
IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future, beginning with both of this weekend's women's soccer matches. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.
 
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 fourth season at the helm of FGCU volleyball. In 2016, Botsford's squad produced one of its most successful seasons ever at 27-6, with the win total representing the most in Division-I program history and falling two shy of the all-time mark. His teams have combined for a 77-34 (.690) overall record, including a 34-11 (.750) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish, and he improved that win total to 21 in his second season. Botsford has coached 15 All ASUN selections in his three seasons. 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. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), 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.