AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (2-0, 2-0) vs. Ave Maria Gyrenes (0-1, 0-1)
When: September 12, 2020
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
Tipoff: 2 p.m.
Last Meeting: October 19, 2019, Win 3-1
Live Stream Video & Stats:
https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fmulions/index.htm | Live Stream
https://fmuathletics.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary | Live Stats
 
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Florida Memorial University's volleyball team will be looking to win its third straight game and preserve its unblemished record so far through this young season as it hosts Sun Conference foe Ave Maria University Saturday afternoon in the FMU Wellness Center.
 
The game, which is set for a 2 p.m. first serve, will be open to fans – however, only a maximum of 250 fans will be allowed in the arena and all will be subject to temperature checks prior to entry, must wear facial coverings, and must adhere to the arena's social distancing labels.
 
FMU (2-0, 2-0 Sun Conference) enters Saturday's game riding the high having defeated its previous two opponents – Southeastern University and St. Thomas University – in three-set sweeps. Better yet, the Lions put on those dominant performances with just nine players available to play.
 
Lions head coach Marrita Crockett-Moulton has been playing without at least six of her players up to this point; but her squad has mitigated their absence with smart and methodical play, which has made for short matches – an obvious advantage for a shorthanded roster.
 
Senior Sammyra Albarran has answered the call of being a leader for Florida Memorial. The San German, Puerto Rico native leads the team in total points, kills, and service aces while also setting the tone for the team with her "swag" – often letting out a primal yell or giving a menacing glance across the net after a point.
 
Keisha Santana Roldan and Francheska Rivera – also seniors – have been steady in their roles as the team's libero and setter respectively while Lions have also gotten key contributions from Adriana Soto and Jesennia Bonilla.
 
Ave Maria (0-1, 0-1) will be hungry for its first win of the season Saturday. The Gyrenes lost its season-opener this past Wednesday (3-1) and hasn't been on the winning side of the score board since Nov. 9. 2019. Ave Maria did return its top players from this past season in middle blocker Madelyn Haut and setter Katie Grose. Both were First Team All-Sun Conference selections in 2019, with Grose also being named the Sun Conference Freshman of the Year.
 
Florida Memorial, which trails in the all-time series against Ave Maria but is currently on a two-match winning streak against the Gyrenes, should be able to find success Saturday if it continues to play with the same combination of savvy and tenacity it has through the first two games.