(WEST PALM BEACH, FLA) -- In the battle of the conference leaders, the Florida Memorial University volleyball team tied a conference record for wins and snapped Keiser University's 17-game win streak with a comeback 3-2 win, Wednesday, October 2.

The competition was dubbed the volleyball match of the week by the conference as it held the top two teams competing for the first time this season. The Lions moved to 6-1 in league play with the win, while the Seahawks fell to 5-1 in the Sun Conference.

Taking a 1-0 lead to start the competition off a kill from freshman Biancaliz Cruz, the Lions would not see another lead for the first set. They produced 10 attacking errors and six services errors in the 17-25 loss in set one to give Keiser a winning momentum.
 
Set two started with a service ace for the Lions to once again take a 1-0 lead. Multiple service errors and missed opportunities saw the Lions once again falling behind the Seahawks in a 20-25 loss.

Keiser came into the third set with every intention of getting a sweep as the Lions were down 0-6 to start. Big plays at the net and in the back from sophomore Rachele Mancinelli kept the Lions in the game and helped reawaken their inner Lions.

Florida Memorial took its first real lead of the night after Cruz served three aces in a row to take a 14-13 lead. The Lions increased their lead to 20-15 before the Seahawks made a run to close the lead 21-20.

A service error from the host team sealed the Lions first win of the night 25-23. 

At the end of the third set, Mancinelli had already produced a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs. 

The Lions momentum didn't waver as the fourth set started with a block from Mancinelli and junior Daphinie Correa. 

After holding the lead for a few points the Lions saw themselves down 17-20  and facing an roaring Keiser crowd. FMU scored two more points forcing their opponents to take a timeout.

Four straight Lions points forced a fifth set with a 25-21 win for Florida Memorial.
 
In the final set of the night the Lions led 10-7. The Seahawks went on a 4-0 run to take a one point lead over FMU.

Back and forth points would tie the game at 13 before the Lions would put the match away with a kill from Mancinelli. The Lions now sit in first place in the conference. 

Mancinelli finished the match with her fourth double-double of the season, producing a game-high 25 kills and 21 digs. She also added three services aces and two assists.

Other leaders for the Lions were juniors Sammyra Albarran and Daphinie Correa. They each finished with 13 and 12 kills respectively.  Correa added three blocks in the win for Florida Memorial. 

Senior Ivana Maric had a block party at the net leading all players with six. Assisting at the net were juniors Francheska Rivera and Alanis Santana. Rivera finished with 29 assists while Santana contributed 23. Cruz ended the match with a game-leading six service aces. 

The Lions hosts Southeastern University next Wednesday, October 9 at 6 P.M.

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