TAMPA, Fla. – Santa Fe College Volleyball played three tight sets on the road with No. 15 Hillsborough on Thursday evening in Suncoast Conference play.

The Saints faced some adversity and battled throughout against their second consecutive ranked opponent, but the Hawks were able to win the majority of the key points to claim the sweep, 25-20, 25-21, 25-22.

Set 1 – HCC 25, SF 20

The hosts started off well and seized a 6-2 lead in the early going.

The Saints drew to within one point on four separate occasions, the last bringing the score to 21-20.

Hillsborough came up with answers when they needed it the most to keep SF at bay, and the Hawks won the final four points of the frame to go ahead 1-0.

Set 2 – HCC 25, SF 21

SF came out strong and determined in Set 2, grabbing a 7-3 lead after the first ten points. The lead held until Hillsborough went on a 7-1 run to go in front 15-12.

SF was able to regain a lead at 19-18 following a putaway from Elizabeth Klein from the middle.

SF still led by one, 20-19, when the Hawks went on to win six of the set's final seven points to take a 2-0 advantage.

Set 3 – HCC 25, SF 22

Leading 8-4, HCC rattled off nine unanswered points to establish a firm, 17-4 lead.

The Saints didn't intend to go down quietly and began to chip away. Trailing 21-13, SF came all the way back to tie it up at 21-21 with eight straight points, a run highlighted by three more kills from Klein.

The Hawks continued to prove capable of executing more successfully than the Saints though in key moments, and claimed the sweep to remain in a tie for second place in the Suncoast Conference standings. 

Key Saints' Statistics

The Saints had 57 digs in the match, putting in great effort in from the back row. Three players recorded double-digit digs, led by 14 from Katelyn Kelso and followed by 11 from Nicole DePaula and ten from Amelia MacCallum.

Setter Emily Loose dished out 29 assists. DePaula nearly had a double-double, adding nine kills.

The freshman middle blocker Klein was one off her season-high kill total, finishing with a team-high ten.

Up Next

Santa Fe (2-9, 1-7 Suncoast) will play at No. 1 Florida SouthWestern on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 2:00 p.m. in Fort Myers, Fla.