The SCF volleyball team (2-8) returned home in success at the Hal Chasey Gymnasium in Bradenton as they shutout Webber International (JV) 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-21). With the win, the Manatees are now 5-0 against the Warriors.
"I feel as though we did really well," said sophomore Sydney Jaco. "It definitely wasn't one of our harder matches and we weren't playing our best, but we still came out on top. It was a good win at the end of the day and I think we're just very happy and positive right now."
"It wasn't one of our hardest matches since we did come back from the Daytona State Invitational," said freshman Leilani Wilcox-Nanai. "Tonight was good to use this match as a way we can work on the weakness points and work on our plays and from what the scoreboard says there were some mistakes, but it's like a learning curve and we were successful with our communication and at running things."
Offensively, it was sophomores Lakeesha Esseboom and Daviya Bernard led the team with five kills each. Esseboom added three blocks (two solo) and a dig, while Bernard added one block. Wilcox-Nanai and classmate Bailey Sikkema had three kills each. Wilcox-Nanai added eight digs and an ace, while Sikkema added three digs and two blocks. Freshman Gracee Carpino followed with 15 assists and three aces.
"It wasn't one of my best games and it was hard because we didn't get a lot of balls returned to us, so we couldn't play a lot," said Wilcox-Nanai on her performance. "It was frustrating because you really want to hit the ball, but it was good. Defensively, we adjusted since we were facing teams that were hard hitters (Daytona State) and uses the top of their hands, so it was good that we were able to adjust quickly. My servicing was pretty spot-on tonight even with a few mistakes."
Defensively, it was sophomore Barbora Tichackova that led the team with four blocks (one solo) to go with her three kills and a career-high eight service aces while Jaco finished with 23 digs and an ace.
"I think I did well," said Jaco on her performance. "I don't think it was a great game or a bad game. I think mostly everything came my way and got up. Servicing was pretty on tonight even with a few mistakes that I made that weren't that great. Overall, it was decently well played good game."
The main story of this matchup was from the cusp of Jaco. Following the footsteps of her older sister, Brittany, the libero out of Braden River went into tonight's match with 978 career digs. In the third set Jaco was able to pull off the impossible and got her 1,000th career dig with the Manatees.
"It was amazing," said Jaco on getting her 1,000th dig. "I wouldn't have known that because I wasn't getting hit to a lot, so I didn't think I had at least 10 digs. Then September, our student manager, was like 'Yo, we're at 22 digs' and then everyone started going wild as well as the whole crowd. I didn't think anyone would know at all and the fact that my teammates made me signs and got me balloons, it showed that they were the best team ever."
Other players that contributed big were sophomore Hannah Strickland (one ace and two digs) and freshmen Brooke Henry (six digs and an ace), Lisa Jaunet (two kills, six assists, three digs and two blocks (one solo)) and Jazmin Spencer (one kills and one block).
In attendance, several athletes from the SCF basketball, tennis, baseball and softball team were in attendance as well as members of the SCF math department and SCF Maniacs to root for the volleyball team.
"It was awesome. Honestly, that's all we wish for at the end of the day is that people will come out and support us," said Jaco on the attendance. "We do the same exact thing for the other athletes 100 percent, but it's great. When they (other SCF athletes) held up signs, I honestly teared up, but I was grateful for whoever came out tonight because we appreciate it so much."
Other Suncoast Scores:
St. Pete College (2-0) won their second match of the season after defeating Santa Fe College 3-1. They will play two straight home matches against Polk State (9/12) and Santa Fe (9/17).
Florida Southwestern (4-3) defeated Broward College and upset #15 College of Central Florida by scores of 3-1 in a tri-match. The Buccaneers will play in the two-day FSC Jacksonville Tournament against host Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), Eastern Florida State and Richard Bland (9/13-14).
#7 Hillsborough (9-1) dropped their first match of the season as they fell 3-1 to Daytona State College. They will join FSW in the two-day FSC Jacksonville Tournament (9/13-14) and compete against Eastern Florida State, St. Thomas University (NAIA-JV), Richard Bland and host FSCJ.
Up Next:
The Manatees will remain at home as they welcome Daytona State (6-2) Tuesday, Sept 17 at 6 pm.
"We expect fast play, big hitters and a mobile setter," said Wilcox-Nanai on Daytona State. "Unlike the other matches, we've been focusing on what they're bringing us than what were bringing them and for this match we're gonna focus on what we can bring to them."
*Side note: Jaco and Wilcox-Nanai were the first SCF volleyball players I interviewed.
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