AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team completed their home schedule on Wednesday, falling in four sets to the Fire of Southeastern University at Donahue Gym. The match also marked AMU's final conference match of the season, with two out-of-league games later this week finishing up the schedule. Prior to the match, the Gyrenes honored their senior class, who also marked the final four remaining members of AMU's conference championship team of 2021.
Riding the emotion of Senior Day, the Gyrenes played inspired volleyball out of the gate. The Gyrenes built a 15-10 lead on the second-ranked team in The Sun Conference, taking advantage of SEU mistakes and putting away their chances. However, AMU ran out of gas down the stretch, with the Fire winning eight of the final nine points. Southeastern turned a 20-17 deficit into a 25-21 triumph in the opening frame, putting it away on a kill from Chapel Cunningham.
AMU continued to battle with the conference title contenders, and this time finished the job for a 27-25 win in the second set. Ave Maria was again the first team to 20, but Southeastern rallied to earn two chances at set point at 24-23 and 25-24. Ave Maria fought off both off those points, then scored the final three points of the set to even the match. A Kylie Lacy kill tied the match at 25, a Zelie Kessler kill gave Ave the lead, and an SEU attack error tied the match at one.
Southeastern took control of the match in the third set, rolling to a 25-13 victory to retake the lead in the match. The Fire pounded home 14 kills in the third, logging a .355 attack percentage. The most decisive set of the night gave Southeastern a 2-1 lead in the match, with the clinching point coming courtesy of an Ave Maria attack error. The visiting Fire then put the match away in the fourth set, winning 25-21. SEU led for the majority of the set, and concluded action on their second attempt at match point, when Chapel Cunningham hammered home a kill.
Five Gyrenes had between six and nine kills in the home finale, led by nine from freshman Elle Malczewski. Reina Thomas had an outstanding performance on Senior Day, posting a double-double with 21 digs and 16 assists. Caroline Myers also added 16 assists, while senior Lily Grasso was also in double figures in digs with eleven.
Ave Maria finishes Sun Conference play with a 5-9 record, and will be the fifth seed in next week's Sun Conference Tournament. AMU will play either Webber or Keiser in the first round, dependent on the result of conference matches on Saturday. That match will be on the road on Tuesday. In the meantime, Ave Maria will play two non-conference matches later this week, meeting Florida College on Friday before finishing the regular season against Florida National on Sunday.
