WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team produced a historic comeback Wednesday night, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Keiser University Seahawks in five sets in West Palm Beach. The win snapped a ten-match losing streak for Ave Maria, and tied a program record as the team's eleventh consecutive victory. The comeback was AMU's first from a two sets to none deficit since the 2019 season, when AMU did it to Florida National.

Keiser's attack was firing on all cylinders in the first set, as the Seahawks converted on 20 of their 33 swings for a .545 attack percentage. The Gyrenes were only able to manage one block in the opening frame, which saw Keiser lead for the entirety of the set. The Seahawks used a 5-0 run to open up a 10-4 lead early in the set, and never looked back en route to a triumph of 25-15. 

The action evened out in the second set, but the Gyrenes still fell short to the host Seahawks, 25-22. The lead traded hands several times during the frame, with a late surge from the Seahawks being the decisive run. Trailing 15-14, Keiser went on a 9-1 run to take a 23-16 lead. Keiser had set point at 24-17, but Ave Maria fought off the first five clinching chances for the Seahawks before a Hannah Heide kill allowed KU to go up two sets.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Gyrenes roared to life in the third set to extend the match, rolling to a 25-14 victory. After two sets with an attack percentage under .200, the Gyrenes pounded 13 kills with just three errors in the third, and held the Seahawks to an equal number of kills and attack errors. After trailing 6-5, the Gyrenes outscored the Seahawks 20-8 for the remainder of the set, cruising into a fourth set in West Palm Beach. 

Ave Maria pulled off another major comeback in the fourth set, as the Gyrenes rallied from a 20-13 deficit to send the match into an improbable fifth set. Abigail Costlow led a 10-0 run for Ave Maria, as the sophomore middle blocker put down three kills and assisted with Katie Grose on two blocks. Costlow added another kill to finish off a 12-1 run, sealing AMU 25-21 win to somehow send the match to a fifth set.

In the fifth set, the Gyrenes landed the knockout blow with an emphatic 15-7 win. AMU did not commit an attacking error in the set, and nearly had as many blocks (3) as Keiser had kills (4). The Gyrenes went on an 8-1 run during the set, turning a 6-4 lead into a 14-5 edge. On the third match point, Cabriella Bouterse came up with the kill to clinch the win, which marked Ave Maria's 15th straight in matches played inside the state of Florida.

Another record was set in the victory, as sophomore middle blocker Abigail Costlow racked up 11 total blocks in the win, breaking the previous single-match record of nine. Offensively, Bouterse led the way with 19 kills, while Zelie Kessler added a dozen of her own. Lily Witkoski and Grose combined for 45 assists, with Witkoski posting a double-double of 24 assists and 18 digs. Victoria Schein led AMU's back row with 23 digs.

AMU will have a chance to set a school record Saturday afternoon, when the first place Gyrenes visit Florida Memorial University. With a win, Ave Maria's win streak will move to 12 games, breaking the mark set during AMU's run to the Sun Conference Tournament title last season. Opening serve from the FMU Wellness Center in Miami Gardens is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.