AVE MARIA, Fla. – In the Sun Conference opener for both teams, the Keiser Seahawks topped the Ave Maria volleyball team in straight sets on Wednesday night. Each of the first two sets came down to a couple critical points before Keiser won the third 25-17.
 
Erica Chenard, Madelyn Haut, and Jenna Barnack tied for the team lead with six kills each. Haut also added two solo blocks and five block assists. In total, AMU had 11 blocks compared to two by Keiser.
 
Katie Grose had 23 assists to lead the Gyrenes. Libero Miah Pena tallied a team-best seven digs.
 
A back-and-forth first two sets saw 11 ties and two lead changes in the first set and 19 ties and 10 lead changes in the second set.
 
The largest lead for AMU in the opening set was by two, a 9-7 lead early in the match. With the set tied at 12, three straight points by the Seahawks on Stephanie Sanchez's serve gave them an 14-12 advantage. After the Gyrenes tied it at 17, three straight attack errors by AMU put Keiser back in front. The Seahawks held on to win the set 25-22.
 
Keiser jumped out to an early lead in the second set before the Gyrenes rallied to tie the match at 10 after a Haut service ace. Later in the set, AMU maintained a slim, 23-22, lead after a Barnack kill and attack error by Keiser on Katie O'Donnell's serve. Keiser saved a Gyrene set point at 24-23 and won the next two points to take the set 26-24.
 
With Ave Maria trailing by one, 11-10, in the second set, Keiser won six of the next seven points to extend their advantage to 17-11. The Seahawks went on to win the set 25-17.
 
Keiser's Abbie Seward had a match-high 13 kills. Four Seahawks finished with double-digit kills. Brooklyn Vandehei led both teams with 44 assists.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Saturday when they host Florida Memorial at 2 p.m.