Box Score GAINESVILLE — Polk State Volleyball stood just a point away from its first Citrus Conference win multiple times on Monday night. Unfortunately, the Eagles couldn't finish the job in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Santa Fe College.
After dropping the first set 25-20, Polk State (4-5, 0-4 Citrus Conference) bounced back to take a marathon second set, 32-30.
Sofia Sanchez ended the set with a service ace.
Putting the Saints away proved to be an arduous task throughout the night. The Eagles raced to a 23-15 lead in the third before a 6-1 run by Santa Fe cut the deficit to three.
Ella Lopez ultimately ended it with a kill at the net.
Polk State had match point at 24-22 in the fourth set, but the Saints stormed back with a 5-1 run to send it to a decisive fifth. Polk State let a pair of three-point leads slip away in the final set, including match point at 14-11. Santa Fe scored the final five points to complete the comeback.
Sanchez, Lopez, and
Isabella Pedrosa each finished with double-doubles for Polk State in the loss. Sanchez led the Eagles with 27 assists to go with 17 digs. Lopez and Pedrosa paced the team with 13 and 12 kills, respectively, while each tallying 13 digs.
Isabella Ramos led Polk State with a season-high 26 digs. Deyja Tahibangu had a nice offensive night with 10 kills.
Erianys Soto had a strong night from the service line, finishing with six aces.
With the loss, Polk State is now the lone winless team in Citrus Conference play. It will try to change that on Wednesday night when it hosts No. 2 Florida SouthWestern State College.
