Spartans Outlast Colorado Mesa and Take Care of Wheeling

TAMPA, Fla. – The top-ranked Spartans outlast Colorado Mesa and take care of Wheeling.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 

Final Score: No. 1 Tampa 3 (2: 25-22, 4: 25-22, 5: 15-9), No. 24 Colorado Mesa 2 (1: 25-18 3: 25-20)

Records: No. 1 Tampa 6-0, No. 24 Colorado Mesa 4-2

Location: Bob Martinez Center || Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

First Set: The first set began back and forth and slightly sloppy on both sides, 14 of the first 19 points coming from errors. The Mavericks rallied off 9 straight points to stretch a lead to 18-10, a lead that the Spartans were unable to recover from. Score: 1-0 Colorado Mesa

Second Set:  The Mavericks maintained the momentum heading into the second and jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. However, the Spartans clawed their way back in the set thanks to a combined setting effort from sophomores Zoey Seput and Emily Noe as well as great defense at the net from middle blocker Mackenzie Dufresne. Tampa would take the second by a three-point margin. Score: 1-1 Tie

Third Set: Colorado Mesa began the third similarly to the second, jumping out to an early lead. Again, the Spartans responded and brought the score back to level, but this time the Mavericks returned the favor with a run of their own, rattling off a 7-1 scoring run and eventually stretched the lead to nine. Similar to the first, the Spartans were unable to bring the set back. Score: 2-1 Colorado Mesa

Fourth Set: The Spartans continued the trend of starting the set strong and gained an early 5-0 lead in the fourth, forcing a Mavericks timeout. Following the timeout Mesa scratched their way back to level the score, which remained tight for the remainder of the set. A solo block from freshman Meghan Schreck sealed the fourth for the Spartans. Score: 2-2 Tie

Fifth Set: As expected, the fifth set was tightly contested, the two teams switching sides at 8-7. Tampa capitalized on a small three point lead following kills from two freshman, outside hitter Tess Schrenger and middle blocker Rachel Gregg. The small three-point margin was all the Spartans needed, and claimed the fifth and final set, as well as the match. Score: 3-2 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS: 

• Outsides Kalli Cors and Tess Schrenger led the Spartans with 17 and 12 kills respectively.
• Dufresne had a season high seven blocks in the contest.
• Seput and Noe combined for 40 assists.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 

Final Score: No. 1 Tampa 3 (1: 25-13, 2: 25-18, 4: 25-17), Wheeling 1 (3: 25-22)

Records: No. 1 Tampa 7-0, Wheeling 2-5

Location: Bob Martinez Center || Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

First Set: Tampa didn't let their five-set thriller earlier in the day effect the start of their second match. Dufresne open the frame tallying five kills in the first eight points. The early success in the middle opened up the pin hitters for the Spartans, and the Cardinals were unable to fend off the onslaught from Tampa. Score: 1-0 Tampa

Second Set: The Spartan momentum carried over to the second, and Tampa jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. The rest of the set was back and forth, each team trading a few points at a time. Tampa claimed the second by a six-point margin following an error from the Cardinals. Score: 2-0 Tampa

Third Set: The Cardinals, determined to avoid the sweep, came out strong in the third, and built a five-point lead utilizing a 5-1 run. Similar to the second, the rest of the set was back and forth, neither team giving up more than a few points at a time, this time though it was the Cardinals that came out on top. Score: 2-1 Tampa

Fourth Set: Tampa started the fourth in sync and gained an early 8-3 lead. The Cardinals attempted to rally, but again, had no answer for Dufresne in the middle, who rattled off ten kills in the fourth set alone, sending the Cardinals home 1-2 on the weekend. Score: 3-1 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS: 

• Dufresne tallied a career high 27 kills on 33 attempts with only 2 errors, hitting .758 on the night. 
• Noe tallied 34 assist, a career high, and combined with Seput to total 57 assist in the match