MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team saw their 12-match winning streak come to an end Wednesday night, as the Gyrenes dropped a five-set nailbiter to the St. Thomas University Bobcats. The Gyrenes forced a fifth set after going down 2-1, but could not come up with yet another comeback win. Despite the loss, AMU did get some good news Wednesday night, as the Gyrenes will hold the tiebreaker at the end of the season should AMU and STU be tied, thanks to Ave Maria's edge in points.
Ave Maria looked to be in full control in the first set, cruising to a 25-14 win over the host Bobcats. Trailing by an 8-7 score, the Gyrenes went on a 12-2 run to put St. Thomas in the rear view mirror. After leading 8-7, St. Thomas never again scored consecutive points, and an ace from Victoria Schein closed out the set, giving the early advantage to Ave Maria.
St. Thomas bounced back in the next two sets, winning a down-to-wire second set, 29-27, before claiming a 25-20 win in the third. In the marathon second set, the Gyrenes had set point at 24-23, but a kill from Sana Dennis extended the action. The Bobcats had three set points turned away before finally claiming the second. In the third, the Bobcats pulled away from the Gyrenes, scoring eight of the final eleven points in a 25-20 win.
Needing to win the fourth set to ensure the tiebreaker over the Bobcats, the Gyrenes came through with another of their patented rallies. The Bobcats led by as many as five points at 9-4, and led 16-14 as the action neared the end of the frame. From there, AMU went on a 7-1 run to take the lead, then scored the last three points of the set in a 25-20 win, sending the match to a fifth set, just as the first meeting between the teams did.
The lead changed hands seven times in the final set, with neither team leading by more than two points until St. Thomas' game-clinching run. With the decisive set tied at 11, the Bobcats scored four of the final five points to take the set by a 15-12 score. STU's win moved the Bobcats into first place in The Sun Conference, albeit with the Gyrenes still in control of their own destiny for a conference title and the top seed in the conference tournament.
Cabriella Bouterse led Ave Maria's attack with 16 kills, while Zelie Kessler and Madelyn Haut both added eleven. Reigning Sun Conference Defender of the Week Abigail Costlow was Ave Maria's most efficient attacker with ten kills and a .375 attack percentage. At setter, both Lily Witkoski (25 assists, 15 digs) and Katie Grose (23 assists, 18 digs) posted double-doubles. Victoria Schein led AMU's defense with 23 digs, while Kessler was the Gyrene leader at the net with five total blocks.
AMU will step out of Sun Conference play Thursday night, when the Gyrenes host the Conquistadors of Florida National University. AMU swept the first meeting between the teams in Hialeah on August 30. Opening serve from Donahue Gym in Ave Maria is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
