David Badia | SportsMediaDB

Women's Volleyball 11/8/2021 10:30:00 PM J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

Lions WVB Open Postseason Tournament Hosting Keiser Tuesday

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (9-9, 8-6) vs. Keiser University Seahawks (17-21, 7-7)
When: Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Where: Florida Memorial, Miami Gardens, Fla. | FMU Wellness Center
First Serve: 7 p.m.
Last Meeting: Oct. 13, 2021, Win 3-0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-12)
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: General Admission – Free

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Often when individual players or teams go through stressful events away from the playing field, getting back inside the competitive lines is just the cathartic experience that motivates the team or player to have perform at its best.

After having its regular season finale and Senior Night game canceled and forfeited, Florida Memorial University's volleyball team is ready to return to the court and hopefully begin what would be a Cinderella run through Sun Conference Championship Tournament Tuesday night when its host Keiser University at 7 p.m. in the FMU Wellness Center.

Even after the forfeit loss, the Lions finished as the No. 3 team in the TSC regular season standings, earning the ability to host its opponent – 6-seed Keiser – in the opening round of the tourney. The top two teams in the conference – No. 1 St. Thomas University and No. 2 Ave Maria University – receive a bye into semifinal round, where TSC regular season conference champ St. Thomas will host the semifinal matches and championship match.

Florida Memorial (9-9, 8-6 The Sun Conference) is entering Tuesday's match as a team in need of a break as injuries began to pile up.

Aside from losing outside hitter/middle blocker Azmabeth Infante to a lower extremity injury that will very likely sideline her throughout the entire postseason, senior libero Keisha Santana Roldan missed a match with a lower extremity injury, then returned for this past Wednesday's match against St. Thomas, but wasn't able to play at the level that had receive back-to-back Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season.

Outside hitter and team's point leader Sammyra Albarran is also nursing a lower extremity injury; defensive specialist Mar Danes is playing through an upper extremity injury as graduate transfer Taira Cottingham.

FMU head coach Marrita Crockett-Moulton's team internal fortitude will be tested Tuesday, but its resolve will be challenged by Keiser University.

The Lions knocked off the Seahawks (17-21, 7-7) in both of their regular season meetings this year, meaning KU will likely come in with a chip on its shoulder to avoid losing a third match to its de facto rival and knock out the higher-seeded FMU.

Crockett-Moulton will have to get creative with her lineups and rotations to mitigate against the Lions' shorthanded roster. Florida Memorial, which won the 2019 Sun Conference Tournament Championship after beginning as the No. 4 seed, will also need a career-best-like night from Biancaliz Cruz while also getting tangible contributions from Maria Rodriguez and Kimberlie Correa.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMULionsVolleyball | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

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Players Mentioned

#7 Biancaliz Cruz: OH; 5' 10"; Junior

#24 Azmabeth Infante: RS/OH/MB; 6' 0"; Junior

#17 Sammyra Albarran: RS/OH; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

#6 Kimberlie Correa: MB; 6' 2"; Junior

#9 Mar Danes: OH/RS; 5' 7"; Junior

#14 Maria Rodriguez: OH/DS; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#2 Keisha Santana Roldan: LIB/DS; 5' 0"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#7 Biancaliz Cruz
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OH

#24 Azmabeth Infante
: 6' 0"; Junior
: RS/OH/MB

#17 Sammyra Albarran
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: RS/OH

#6 Kimberlie Correa
: 6' 2"; Junior
: MB

#9 Mar Danes
: 5' 7"; Junior
: OH/RS

#14 Maria Rodriguez
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: OH/DS

#2 Keisha Santana Roldan
: 5' 0"; Senior
: LIB/DS

Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned