Golden Panthers dominate Owls in home sweep

By: Eduardo Almaguer / Staff Writer

If FIU’s win on Oct. 23 against UALR is considered steamrolling though a team, then their victory against Florida Atlantic University is considered an absolute murder.

The Panthers (14-7, 6-4 SBC) swept the Owls (3-19, 0-10 SBC) in less than an hour and a half at the U.S Century Bank Arena on Oct. 26.

Senior Sabrina Gonzalez broke out of her slump by smashing 15 kills and hitting for a .619 percent. The percentage shatters the previous season-high set by a Panther. Junior Marija Prsa held the record with a .481 hitting percentage against UC Riverside on Aug.27.

Setter Jessica Egan led the match in assists with 34, and Prsa led the digs category with 11. Freshman Silvia Carli set a career-high three service aces and Egan set a high with two service aces herself.

“We served tough. We were very efficient,” said Tomic. “I was very happy how we came mentally ready to the match.”

The Owls’ inexperience and lack of leadership showed immediately as the first set began and FIU wasted no time in building a massive lead. Within the first 15 minutes of the match, the Panthers had toyed with the Owls to the tune of a 17-4 lead, thanks to eight unanswered points.

FAU had no communication, with their players often failing to successfully deploy sets or defend against tips that Panthers sent over.

The Owls did not have a single senior on their squad, lending to their miscommunication woes and lack of a dominant presence.

“To be honest, I didn’t see one key player we had to key on,” said Gonzalez. “There wasn’t a leader. I felt like we didn’t need to target anyone.”

FIU did not have to work hard to capture the first set: FAU, posting a  -0.42 hitting percentage, committed an error to end the set, 25-9. This marked the largest margin of victory in a set this season, besting the 25-10 against FAMU on Sept. 11

As the second set opened, the Panthers became careless and let FIU build a 12-8 lead, the biggest Owl lead of the game.

“We got a little too complacent. We had to switch modes and really focus on the little things,” said Egan. “We got a bit of ahead ourselves.”

In spite of this, the Panthers did not buckle under the weight of the deficit, quickly tying the game on a rocket from Jovana Bjelica, 14-14.

After a controversial call that provoked some yells from Tomic to the first referee, FAU took a brief, 19-18 lead. The Panthers managed to overcome the call and rattle off two kills to take only their second lead of the set, 21-19.

Sabrina Gonzalez shut the door on the second set with a kill that the Owls could not handle to win.

FAU and FIU traded blows as the third set opened, exchanging the lead three times until the Panthers broke through in dominating fashion with a 7-0 run to lead 15-8.

Tearing through the Owls’ defense and morale, the Panthers finished off the sweep with a 25-16 win in the final set of the night.

“This is more momentum underneath our belt, “ said Egan. “We fully expect to go undefeated the rest of the season.”

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