Lynn University

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Halloween night brought plenty of scares to the de Hoernle Sports & Cultural Center, but the No. 8-ranked Lynn University volleyball team delivered the ultimate treat, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Rollins in a heart-stopping five-set thriller on Saturday evening.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Fighting Knights refused to let their Halloween night turn into a nightmare, storming back to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory (30-28, 22-25, 22-25, 25-19, 17-15).
 
The victory lifted Lynn to an impressive 21-3 overall record and 13-2 mark in Sunshine State Conference play, as the Fighting Knights survived their second consecutive five-set showdown.
 
Lira Pukl Verdel led the offensive charge with 14 kills, while Lillia Neill delivered a dominant performance at the net with 13 kills, a .440 hitting percentage and six blocks. Ula Gorjup orchestrated the offense with 45 assists while unleashing a stellar serving performance with six aces, adding 11 digs for a double-double.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One: Lynn 30, Rollins 28
- The Halloween drama began immediately as the two teams traded blows in a back-and-forth opening frame that featured numerous momentum swings
- Gorjup set the tone with an opening-point service ace before adding two more aces in succession to put Lynn ahead 11-9
- Rollins responded with a surge of its own, taking a 15-12 advantage before the Fighting Knights battled back behind kills from Alexia Radulovic and Neill to even the score at 15-15
- The Blue and White eventually grabbed a 23-21 lead, but the Tars refused to disappear, battling back to force a dramatic finish
- Rollins reached set point at 24-23 and continued to threaten, but Lynn repeatedly answered under pressure
- With the score deadlocked at 28-28, the Fighting Knights delivered the final two points to escape with a thrilling 30-28 opening-set victory
 
Set Two: Rollins 25, Lynn 22
- The Tars came out firing in the second frame, jumping ahead 8-2 and forcing Lynn into an early hole
- The Fighting Knights fought back behind kills from Zara Rendic, Radulovic and Neill, while Gorjup continued to cause problems from the service line
- Despite trailing 21-16 late in the frame, Lynn refused to surrender, using a late push to trim the deficit and keep the pressure on Rollins
- However, the Tars held off the comeback attempt, taking the second set 25-22 to even the match at one set apiece
 
Set Three: Rollins 25, Lynn 22
- Rollins carried its momentum into the third set, racing out to a 5-1 advantage and eventually stretching its lead to 12-7
- The Fighting Knights answered with a spirited rally, highlighted by a service ace from Ella Voorhees and kills from Rendic and Neill, cutting the deficit to 16-16
- The two teams continued trading blows, but Rollins regained control late, building a 24-21 advantage
- Lynn fought off two set points before the Tars secured the 25-22 victory, putting the Fighting Knights one set away from defeat
 
Set Four: Lynn 25, Rollins 19
- Facing elimination, the Fighting Knights flipped the script in the fourth set, turning a 6-5 deficit into a 10-6 advantage behind a five-point serving run from Gorjup
- Pukl Verdel and Radulovic delivered timely kills during the surge, while Gorjup added another service ace to energize the Lynn attack
- The Fighting Knights continued to build momentum, using consecutive blocks from Audrey Shaw and a kill from Rendic to stretch the lead to 13-8
- With the match hanging in the balance, Gorjup once again took over from the service line, helping Lynn turn a 17-14 advantage into a commanding 21-14 lead
- The Tars attempted one final push, but Lynn slammed the door with a 25-19 victory, setting the stage for a winner-take-all fifth set
 
Set Five: Lynn 17, Rollins 15
- With the Halloween showdown hanging in the balance, Lynn came out swinging, opening the decisive fifth set on a 4-0 run behind a block from Neill and Radulovic and kills from Rendic and Radulovic
- Rollins quickly responded, battling back to tie the score at 5-5, but Pukl Verdel and Neill helped the Fighting Knights regain an 8-6 advantage at the changeover
- The Tars refused to go away, trading points with Lynn before eventually pulling ahead 14-12, putting the Fighting Knights on the brink of defeat
- Facing two consecutive match points, Lynn delivered when it mattered most. A Rollins error kept the Knights alive before Neill rose for a massive block to tie the score at 14-14
- Pukl Verdel followed with a clutch kill to put Lynn ahead 15-14, but Rollins answered to force another tie at 15-15
- Neill delivered another thunderous kill to give the Fighting Knights a 16-15 advantage before Pukl Verdel landed the final blow, sealing a breathtaking 17-15 victory and completing the Halloween comeback
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Pukl Verdel led Lynn with 14 kills, adding nine digs and a service ace
- Neill finished with 13 kills on 25 attempts, committing just two errors for an outstanding .440 hitting percentage, while recording four solo blocks and two block assists
- Gorjup recorded a double-double with 45 assists and 11 digs, while delivering a match-high six service aces
- Rendic added 10 kills and 10 digs for a double-double, while Radulovic contributed 10 kills
- Shaw registered five kills without an attack error, hitting .357 while adding three solo blocks and one block assist
- Clara Maidantchik anchored the back row with a team-high 13 digs
- Lynn finished with 54 kills, 52 assists, 62 digs, 10 service aces and 11 team blocks, holding Rollins to a .167 hitting percentage
 
UP NEXT:
Lynn will hit the road this upcoming week for its final road trip of the regular season, kicking off with Nova Southeastern in Davie on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7:00 pm.