Owls split against Holy Cross and Kansas City on day one of FAU Invitational

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic volleyball kicked off the 2023 season on Friday, splitting a pair of matches to open play in the FAU Invitational against Holy Cross, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-16), and Kansas City, 1-3 (16-25, 16-25, 25-16, 23-25), inside Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3 – HOLY CROSS 0

The Owls kicked off the season in dominant fashion, earning a huge 3-0 sweep over Holy Cross.

Kaila Ru led all scorers with 11 kills, while Katelynn Robine and Madison Dyer tallied eight kills apiece. Victoria Hensley tallied a match-high 31 assists and five service aces. Defensively, Isabelle Northam made her collegiate debut and tallied an impressive game-high 17 digs, while Arianna Beckham secured a new career-best three blocks.

The opening set was a back-and-forth battle through a 13-13 stalemate, but a Holy Cross kill and an Owl error put the Crusaders at a 15-13 advantage. However, the Crusaders lead was short-lived as the Owls went on an 8-1 run to retake a 21-16 advantage. The Owls secured the final four points to take the opening set, 25-22.

Holy Cross opened the second set on an 8-4 run, but the Owls answered back with four unanswered points to bring the set even at eight. Florida Atlantic remained even at 10 before another 4-0 run put the Owls in front 14-10. The Crusades closed within four at 17-13, but a 5-0 Owl run, capped off by a Romina Cornelio kill put Florida Atlantic within three points of taking set two, 22-14. The Crusaders outscored the Owls 4-1 to close within five, 23-18, however kills from Ru and Arianna Beckham closed out the set to give the Owls the 2-0 advantage.

The Crusaders took an opening 4-1 lead to open the third, before the Owls responded to bring things even at four after a Madison Dyer kill. The Owls brought things back even at 7-7 before scoring four-straight to lead 11-7. Holy Cross closed back within three at 18-15, before Florida Atlantic produced a 6-0 run capped off by a kill from Beckham to hold match point at 24-25. The Crusaders got one back off an Owl service error, but Kaila Ru called game with a kill to close out the Owls, 3-0 sweep.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC 1 – KANSAS CITY 3

Kaila Ru tallied a match-high 17 kills to lead the Owls, while Romina Cornelio and Lauryn Green tallied nine and eight kills each, respectively. Ru also led the Owls in blocks with three, and Cornelio tallied a match-high 18 digs. Victoria Hensley tied for a match-high 31 assists and Valeria Rosado notched a match-leading three aces against the Roos.

Kansas City opened the match on a 6-4 run before going on an 15-5 run to take a 19-9 advantage. The Owls produced a 5-2 run to close back within seven at 21-14, but they just couldn’t overcome the deficit as the Roos closed out the set on a 4-2 run to take the 25-16 opening set.

The Owls went on a 3-1 run to open the second, but the Roos tallied five unanswered to take a 6-3 lead. Florida Atlantic tied things up at six after a Cornelio service ace, however the Roos bounced back on a 10-2 run to take a 16-8 advantage. The two squads traded points through a 21-12 Kansas City advantage, however the Owls produced a 4-1 run to close back within six at 22-16, but a 3-0 Kansas City run closed out the second as the Owls trailed 2-0, 16-25, entering the third.

The Owls battled the Roos to a 4-4 tie to open the third. Florida Atlantic continued to battle holding a 19-12 advantage after a Ru kill. Kansas City closed within four after a 3-0 run, however the Owls answered with a run of their own to score five unanswered for match point at 24-15. Kaila Ru did Kaila Ru things, clinching the set at 25-16 with a kill to send the match to a set four.

The two teams traded runs to a 4-4 tie to open the set. The Owls continued to contest the Roos traded leads and ties through a 23-23 stalemate, however the Owls committed a pair of attack errors to close out the fourth as Kansas City captured a 25-23 win in set four to win 3-1.