AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (20-10, 11-5) at Keiser University Seahawks (29-9, 13-3)
When: Friday, November 15, 2019
Where: Keiser University, West Palm Beach, Florida | Massimino Court
Tipoff: TBD (90 minutes following 2 p.m. match)
Last Meeting: Nov. 6, 2019, Keiser win 3-2 (25-20, 25-14, 19-25, 19-25, 11-15)
Live Stream Video & Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/keiser/
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Ask any coach worth their whistle, they'll tell you that one of the biggest battles a team can face is complacency. Fighting a lull or letdown because the team has become – even slightly – content with what it has already accomplished.
Florida Memorial University women's volleyball head coach
Marrita Crockett-Moulton, who has – in her first season at the helm of the program – already taken it further than it has ever gone, maintains that her team will be guarded against complacency because of the culture she's instilled.
"It's all about having that championship mindset," Crockett-Moulton said.
FMU hopes that its "championship mindset" will ultimately lead to one as the Lions will travel to West Palm Beach, Florida Friday to face Keiser University in the semifinals of the 2019 Sun Conference Championship volleyball tournament.
The game is set to begin 90 minutes following the conclusion of the other semifinal match (which will begin at 2 p.m.) and will be played on Keiser University's home floor as the Seahawks are the tournament's No. 1 seed.
No. 4 Florida Memorial knocked off No. 5 and neighborhood rival St. Thomas University 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 17-25, 25-17, 15-10) Tuesday night at home to punch their ticket to the final four. After the Lions secured the victory, the players rushed onto the floor in celebration in an outpour of joyous emotion – knowing it had made history.
Crockett-Moulton said her team enjoyed the victory, but quickly turned its attention to Keiser – a team that the Lions defeated 3-2 on October 2nd then lost to 3-2 on November 6th.
"After we enjoyed the win," Crockett-Moulton began. "It was automatic for us to file it away and focus on the next step. That's been the mindset all year, really. It's always been 'on to the next' for us. Our goal is to win a championship and we have to just eliminate everyone in our way."
Florida Memorial had its "Senior Night" spoiled just over a week ago when it not only let a 2-0 match lead slip away, but the Lions saw an 18-12 lead in the fourth set evaporate as Keiser rallied to win the set and ultimately the match.
Crockett-Moulton said her team ran out of "emotional gas" that night.
"We were so high emotionally early on in that one," Crockett-Moulton said. "The energy was so high and we jumped out, then we ran out of gas, we lost steam, and we lost focus - which left the door open for [Keiser]. But we know how we're going to pace ourselves during this match and we're not going to make that mistake Friday."
