Nov. 9, 2007

Box Score

MOBILE, AL - The Florida Atlantic University volleyball team lost to South Alabama in five games (25-30, 20-30, 30-28, 30-24, 6-15) on Friday.

The meeting was a rematch of a five game encounter won by the Owls earlier this season. This time it was FAU who rallied from two games down before falling just short. The two teams exchanged runs in the first game and FAU had just scored three points in a row to take a 20-17 lead when South Alabama ran off 13 of the next 18 points to win game one 30-25. USA's momentum carried over into the second game in which the Owls took the first point, but never led again as the Jaguars won to take a 2-0 lead.

The third game was a back and forth affair, as neither team held a lead larger than three points the entire game. The game's ninth and final tie came at 28 when a Mallory Deneen kill and a Katie Arvidson and Morgan Johns tandem block gave FAU the 30-28 victory. USA held a 15-11 game four lead when the Owls rallied to tie the game at 19. The game would be tied at 20 and 21 before FAU launched a decisive 9-3 run to take the game and tie the match at two games apiece.

South Alabama ran out to a quick 10-2 lead behind the serving of Juliana Almeida and FAU never recovered, falling 15-6 in the decisive fifth game. Morgan Johns, returning to her hometown for the first time, led the Owls with 16 kills and had five service aces on the night. The Owls (6-20, 3-13 Sun Belt) finish their season on Saturday when they face Troy.