BOCA RATON, Fla. - On a memorable Senior Day inside the de Hoernle Sports & Cultural Center, the Lynn University volleyball team battled top-ranked and undefeated Tampa to a five-set thriller before ultimately falling 3-2 on Saturday evening.
 
Prior to first serve, the program honored seniors Brooke Jackson, Nadia Rossi, Joelle Alexander, and Aline Olegario, who each made an impact throughout the match as the Fighting Knights closed out the home regular season dropping to 19-9 overall and 9-9 in Sunshine State Conference play. Lynn came out firing with back-to-back set wins and held late momentum in the third before the Spartans rallied to escape with a narrow victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Set 1: Lynn, 25-18
- The opening points featured back-and-forth scoring as Lillia Neill struck for two early kills to keep Lynn level at 2-2 and 3-3
- Jackson sparked momentum with a service ace, followed by a kill from Rossi as Lynn nudged ahead 6-5
- Alexia Radulovic heated up mid-set with a three-kill burst, pushing Lynn to an 11–9 lead and later tying things at 12-12
- After trading points, Olegario and Jackson combined for a block to break the tie at 13-12
- Another Radulovic kill put Lynn back in front at 14-13, and Neill added another kill as the Blue and White nudged ahead 17-16
- A Tampa attack error, followed by kills from Radulovic and Rossi, gave Lynn its largest margin at 20-16
- Hope Passerello fueled the closing stretch with an ace and multiple assists, including two kills from Rossi and Radulovic
- Jackson sealed the set at 25–18 with a kill off a Passerello assist to give Lynn the early match lead
 
Set 2: Lynn, 25-23
- Neill opened the set with a kill before Olegario took over early, delivering back-to-back points including a block with Passerello as Lynn went ahead 6-4
- Tampa tied things at 6-6, but Passerello answered with a kill to regain the lead and Rossi added a kill to level the frame again at 8-8
- The Spartans used a run behind tough serving to move ahead 13-10, prompting a Lynn timeout
- Out of the break, Radulovic sparked the rally with a kill, helping stop Tampa's momentum as Lynn continued to battle side-by-side
- Tampa maintained a slim edge at 18-15, but Lynn responded with kills from Passerello and Rossi to keep the set within reach
- Trailing 22–18, the Fighting Knights ignited a dominant 6-0 closing surge, beginning with a Radulovic kill
- Olegario took over late, delivering three straight kills, including two on assists from Passerello, to give Lynn a 23-22 lead
- Clara Maidantchik served the go-ahead ace on 24-22, and after a brief Tampa stop, Olegario finished the comeback with the match-clinching kill
 
Set 3: Tampa, 25-23
- Radulovic put Lynn on the board first with a kill, and Jackson added one shortly after as both sides traded early points to a tight 5-5 start
- Olegario delivered a pair of early points, including a kill assisted by Passerello, before Joelle Alexander sparked momentum with a service ace to push Lynn ahead 10-7
- Tampa responded with a surge of its own, tying the frame at 12–12 before another kill from Neill briefly moved Lynn in front
- The back-and-forth continued through the middle stretch as Jackson, Rossi, and Radulovic each found kills while neither team led by more than two
- Radulovic delivered two straight kills to regain a 19-16 Lynn advantage, capping a strong offensive sequence fueled by Passerello's setting
- Tampa countered with a 7-1 run, capitalizing on consecutive kills and defensive stops to swing ahead 23-20
- Lynn responded with kills from Radulovic and Jackson out of a Tampa timeout, pulling within one at 23–22
-  Tampa ultimately held on, closing the set behind a pair of late kills to take set three 25-23 and extend the match
 
Set 4: Tampa, 25-18
- Tampa jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, fueled by an ace, two Lynn attack errors, and multiple kills
- A 3-0 Lynn push featuring kills from Laney Wilson, Radulovic, and Jackson trimmed the gap to 14-12, forcing a Tampa timeout
- Tampa responded with a 6-1 surge behind strong serving and frontline pressure, extending the advantage to 20-13
- The Spartans closed out the frame 25-18 to force a decisive fifth set
 
Set 5: Tampa, 15-10
- The deciding frame opened tightly, with Neill and Rossi providing early kills to keep the score even at 7-7
- Tampa seized momentum with a 6-1 run, powered by a flurry of kills to move ahead 13-8
- A service ace helped extend the Spartan lead as Lynn burned both timeouts attempting to slow the surge
- Radulovic and Wilson chipped in late kills to keep Lynn within striking distance
- Tampa closed the match on match point with a final kill, taking the set 15-10 and the match 3-2
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Radulovic powered the offense with a team-high 24 kills while hitting .372 for her best offensive performance of the season
- Passerello directed the attack with 54 assists, her most since Nov. 4, 2024 vs. Florida Tech (54).
- Maidantchik anchored the back row with a team-high 19 digs
- Olegario delivered an elite .750 hitting percentage (9-0-12) to lead all players in efficiency
- Lynn finished the night with four players at 9+ kills (Radulovic 24, Rossi 13, Neill 9, Olegario 9)
- The Fighting Knights totaled 7 team blocks, led by Olegario's three block assists
- Lynn posted a strong offensive performance, hitting .323 as a team behind balanced production across all five sets
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights will hit the road for the final road trip of the regular season, kicking off with Palm Beach Atlantic in West Palm Beach on Tuesday, November 18 at 6 p.m.