SCF Season Readies for Final Match vs Daytona

Although their season in the Suncoast is finished, the regular season is not yet over for the SCF volleyball team (2-20) as they travel to Daytona Beach to take on Daytona State (13-8) Tuesday night, October 22 at 6 pm.

Last Time Out:
The Manatees closed their final home match in a 3-1 loss to Monroe College (NJCAA Region XV). During which it was sophomore night for six sophomores.

Offensively, freshman Leilani Wilcox-Nanai and sophomore Lakeesha Esseboom lead the Manatees. Wilcox-Nanai with 143 kills, 193 digs (second on the team) and 14 aces (third on the team). Against Monroe, Wilcox-Nanai had a double-double of 12 kills and 17 digs. It was her fourth double-double of the season, while her 17 digs were a career-high.

Despite not playing against Monroe due to a concussion, Esseboom has 133 kills in her name along with 28 blocks (eight solo).

Freshman Gracee Carpino leads the way with 510 assists, 121 digs (fourth on the team) and 22 aces (second on the team). Carpino had 22 assists and eight digs against Monroe.

Defensively, freshman Brooke Henry and sophomores Barbora Tichackova and Sydney Jaco lead the way.

Henry is third on the team in digs (141) in which she had six against Monroe.

Tichackova leads the team with 64 blocks (19 solo) and 23 aces, while adding 71 kills. Tichackova had three kills, an ace and three blocks (one solo) against Monroe.

Jaco has become the heart and soul in digs as she leads the team with 423 digs. In her match against Monroe, Jaco had 25 digs, a kill and two aces. As a result of her 25 digs, Jaco was named to the FCSAA 25 Dig Club for the fifth time this season and the 21st time in her career while reaching 1,207 career digs.

Playing both offensively and defensively are freshman Lisa Jaunet and sophomore Daviya Bernard. Jaunet has 97 kills and 29 blocks (eight solo) and Bernard has 91 kills and 32 blocks (nine solo). Against Monroe, Jaunet had seven kills, 10 digs and a block whole Bernard had five kills and two solo blocks.

Freshmen Bailey Sikkema and Jazmin Spencer are the wild cards for the Manatees. Sikkema has 42 kills, 81 digs and 16 blocks, while Spencer has 59 kills and 14 blocks. Against Monroe, Sikkema had nine kills, two digs and a block while Spencer had seven kills, four digs and a block.

Scouting Daytona State:
The Manatees have faced Daytona State three times this season, once on neutral grounds (Santa Fe/Campus USA Classic), once on the road at the Daytona State Invitational with both scores in Daytona State's favor of 3-0 and at home where the Falcons won 3-1. The Falcons are coming off of facing Florida State College at Jacksonville on the road where they lost 3-2 in a nail-biting division match. Currently, the Falcons are third in the Mid-Florida Conference.

Offensively, freshman Carla Hernandez leads the team with 254 kills, 19 aces and 247 dig. Against FSCJ, Hernandez had 22 kills, six digs and three aces.

Sophomore Yasmin Kuck follows Hernandez with 252 kills, 31 aces (second on the team) and 39 blocks. Kuck did not play against FSCJ.

Sophomore Gardieliz Laureano leads the Falcons with 581 assists and 32 aces while classmate Bruna Avila has 489 assists and 32 blocks. While Laureano did not play against FSCJ, Avila had a double-double of 44 assists and 10.

Defensively, sophomore Taylor Garcia has 75 blocks (10 solo) and 182 kills in her name while classmate  Alexis Thompson has 62 blocks (nine solo) in her name to go with her 82 kills and classmate Nicole Rodriguez has 560 digs. Against FSCJ, Garcia did not play, but Thompson had six kills and six blocks while Rodriguez had 20 digs.

The Manatees are 2-14 against the Falcons which included the three losses this season. Last time the Manatees defeated Daytona State was on October 3, 2014 where the Manatees won 3-0 as part of their third longest winning streak.

How to Keep Up:
Fans can also keep up to date with both teams on Twitter:
SCF: @SCFVolleyball
DSC:  @DSCFalconSports