Women's volleyball team tops Indian River in four sets

The Eastern Florida State College women's volleyball team defeated Indian River State College in a Suncoast Conference match Saturday on the road. 

The Titans, who improved to 13-5 overall and 4-4 in the conference with the win, lost the first set 25-14 but bounced back to win in four sets, 25-19, 25-22 and 25-22.

The Titans began showing signs of coming around toward the end of the first set as Sofia Kamke had an ace and then kills by Fabiola Rivera and Emma Kiser cut the Indian River lead to nine, but that was as close as they would get as the Pioneers won the first set 25-14.

The second set saw the Titans go on an early 6-1 run as Sophia Knowles recorded a couple of kills to give the Titans a 11-5 lead. The Titans would continue to keep the lead throughout the second set and tied things up with the 25-19 win.

The third set was tight throughout as the two teams were tied 21-21 but the Titans would finish strong as Delphinia Beams had a big kill late in the set to help the Titans take a 2-1 lead. 

The fourth set would be all Eastern Florida State College early as Beams had a couple of aces to give the Titans a 6-1 lead. Indian River State College would come back and tie the game 10-10. The Pioneers would take a lead but Emma Kiser's kill would tie it 12-12 and the teams would trade points until Eastern Florida State College took a lead on a Knowles block. Beams, Rylei Patrick and Kamke would have kills late to keep the Titans out front and lock up the conference victory.

"We always start slow, we are battling some injuries, but I have to give kudos to our sophomores today, Del, Fabiola, Jaremis (Maldonado) and Rylie stepped up and carried us during some key moments today," Eastern Florida State College women's volleyball coach Melito Eleutiza said. "We were not consistent, but the sophomores stepped up and we were able to bounce back from a loss. I am proud of this team and the way we are playing and learning how to play with these adversities."

Eastern Florida State College will be home for the next three conference matches, hosting Polk State College Thursday evening at 6 p.m. in another key Suncoast Conference match at Titan Field House. Admission to matches at Titan Field House on the Melbourne campus is free of charge.