Cougars Fall to Host FIU, Defeat Savannah State at FIU Panther Fest

MIAMI – Chicago State volleyball earned a split in its first two matches of the Florida International Panther Fest today, held at FIU's Ocean Bank Convocation Center.
 
The Green and White fell to the host Panthers, 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 20-25, 15-25), in their first match of the day before coming back later that afternoon with a 3-1 (25-18, 16-25, 25-13, 25-8) victory over Savannah State.
 
CSU held advantages against FIU in service aces (5-2), total blocks (8-7.5), block assists (14-9) and solo blocks (3-1).
 
Senior Lauryn Dela Cruz (Provo, Utah/Timpview) posted a team-leading 15 kills to lead the Cougars, while sophomore Lacee Adams (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central) dished out 26 assists, and junior Beatriz Palmieri (Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil/Professora Carlina Cacapava de Mello) recorded a double-double of a season-best 20 digs and added 13 kills.
 
The Panthers were led by Margherita Bianchin's double-double of a match-best 18 kills and 12 digs.
 
In CSU's second contest of the day against SSU, Palmieri and Dela Cruz each tallied a match-high 12 kills followed by senior Ludmila Bomfim (Belo-Horizonte Minas Gerais, Brazil/Escola Estadual Pedro II) producing a match-leading 20 assists. Junior Megan Klavitter (Fenton, Mich./Linden), the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Week, finished the match with a match-best 16 digs and three service aces.
 
The Green and White notched a season-best .304 hitting clip versus the Tigers which included a hitting percentage of .481 in the first set. CSU was also tops in kills (50-39), service aces (10-4), assists (49-36) and digs (49-39) for the match.
 
Liz Ortiz Munoz (18 digs) and Salma Gonzalez (17 assists) were the top players on the day for Savannah State (0-4).
 
Chicago State looks to capture its second straight win as it concludes the Panther Fest tomorrow morning against Delaware (3-2) which begins at 8:30 a.m.