NSU Sharks News

#19 NSU Volleyball Rebounds In Win Over Southwestern Oklahoma

Newcomer Lucia Cizmarova Totals 12 Kills In Sharks Victory

athletic pic CANYON, Tex. (Aug. 28, 2009)  The #19 Nova Southeastern University Sharks rebounded from a loss earlier in the day to dispatch Southwestern Oklahoma State in three games in action on Friday evening in the BritKare Lady Buff Classic. The victory improves the Sharks record to 1-1 on the season.

In the first set the Sharks hit .229 en route to a 25-15 victory. NSU was led by junior outside hitter Lucia Cizmarova (Bratislava, Slovak Republic) with six kills, two digs, two blocks and an ace. Senior outside hitter Jenerra McGruder (Euless, Tex.) added four kills. Freshman setter Jordan Pappas (Naperville, Ill.) had 11 assists. The Sharks held the Bulldogs to a -.107 attack percentage and just four kills.

Freshman middle blocker Carly Perschnick's (Dwight, Ill.) six kills paced the Sharks in their 26-24 second set victory. Outside hitter Paola Ruiz (Jr., Rio Piedras, P.R.) was also a major factor with five kills and four digs. Pappas posted 13 assists as NSU hit .303 as a team. The Bulldogs were once again held from posting a positive attack percentage as they hit .000 as a team.

NSU struggled in the opening of the third set falling behind 7-1. The Sharks would methodically comeback behind the performance of the play of Cizmarova, McGruder and Ruiz. Cizmarova contributed with five more kills while McGruder and Ruiz had four apiece. Pappas added 14 more assists in the set.

For the match, NSU out-hit SWOSU .288 to .038. The Sharks tallied 24 more kills, 22 more assists, and six more blocks than the Bulldogs. Cizmarova led the Sharks with 12 kills while Perschnick and Ruiz had 11 and 10, respectively. Perschnick led the team with a .588 attack percentage. Pappas totaled 38 assists. NSU received a lift from freshman middle blocker Rachel Woodson (Rogers, Ark.), who had four kills, a .571 attack percentage and two blocks.

Emily Walter led the Bulldogs with six kills.

"I am still waiting for someone to step out of the shadow from last year's graduating class," commented head coach Steve Wilcosky. "It was definitely challenging not having the direction of Valia (Petrova), but I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I know Jordan can run the team."

NSU continues play in the BritKare Lady Buff Classic with two matches on Saturday, August 29th, beginning with UT-Permian Basin at 10 a.m.