Lynn University

BOCA RATON, Fla. - In a highly anticipated battle between two nationally ranked Sunshine State Conference contenders, the No. T-8 Lynn University women's volleyball team battled No. T-8 Barry University through four sets Tuesday night before falling 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 22-25, 17-25) inside the de Hoernle Sports & Cultural Center.
 
The Fighting Knights (23-4, 15-3 SSC) delivered a dominant second-set performance to even the match and held a late advantage in the third, but the Buccaneers (21-4, 16-2 SSC) rallied to claim the pivotal frame before closing out the contest in four sets.
 
Lira Pukl Verdel powered Lynn's offense with a match-high-tying 16 kills on .343 hitting, while Alexia Radulovic added 12 kills on an impressive .357 hitting percentage. The duo combined for 28 of Lynn's 47 kills, while the Fighting Knights finished with nine service aces and 10 total blocks.
 
Reigning six-time SSC Setter of the Week Ula Gorjup recorded a 34-assist, 13-dig double-double and added three service aces, while Clara Maidantchik delivered a match-high four aces, all coming during Lynn's commanding second-set victory.
 
Barry finished with 53 kills on .275 hitting compared to Lynn's 47 kills on .212 hitting, while both teams recorded 10 blocks in the nationally ranked showdown.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One: Barry 25, Lynn 22
- Lynn opened the highly anticipated matchup with a statement, racing to a 3-0 advantage behind consecutive kills from Pukl Verdel and an attack error by Barry
- The Fighting Knights extended their early advantage to 5-2, with Audrey Shaw and Radulovic delivering kills to keep the home crowd energized
- Barry responded with a 6-1 stretch to take an 8-6 lead before Lynn battled back to even the score at 8-8 following a service ace from Zara Rendic
- Trailing 11-8, Lynn rallied behind consecutive kills from Pukl Verdel and a finish from Gorjup to eventually even the frame at 13-13
- The Buccaneers seized momentum with four consecutive points to turn a 14-14 tie into an 18-14 advantage
- Lynn continued to battle, using a block from Lillia Neill and Rendic and another kill from Pukl Verdel to trim the deficit to 20-19
- Barry pushed ahead 24-20, but the Fighting Knights refused to go quietly, receiving consecutive kills from Neill and Pukl Verdel to cut the margin to 24-22
- A Lynn service error ended the comeback attempt as Barry escaped with the opening set, 25-22
 
Set Two: Lynn 25, Barry 14
- The Fighting Knights responded in emphatic fashion, turning the second set into a showcase of offensive efficiency and relentless serving
- Trailing 3-1 early, Lynn erupted for eight consecutive points to take a commanding 9-3 lead, fueled by four service aces from Maidantchik and kills from Rendic and Radulovic
- The surge also featured a combined block from Neill and Radulovic, forcing the Buccaneers onto their heels
- Lynn continued to pour on the pressure, extending its advantage to 13-5 behind kills from Pukl Verdel and Gorjup and a block from Neill and Rendic
- With the Fighting Knights leading 16-9, Pukl Verdel delivered another kill before Gorjup took over from the service line
- Gorjup recorded back-to-back service aces during a five-point run that pushed Lynn's advantage to a commanding 21-9
- Radulovic and Neill delivered timely kills down the stretch before Rendic put the finishing touches on a dominant 25-14 set victory
- Lynn hit a scorching .385 in the frame, recording 12 kills with just two attack errors while limiting Barry to eight kills on .167 hitting
- The Fighting Knights recorded six service aces in the set, completely shifting the momentum of the match
 
Set Three: Barry 25, Lynn 22
- With the match even at one set apiece, the two nationally ranked opponents traded blows throughout a tightly contested third frame
- Radulovic provided an early spark with consecutive kills to give Lynn a 2-1 advantage before Neill helped push the Fighting Knights ahead 5-4
- Neither team established a significant advantage through the opening stages, with the score tied at 9-9 before Barry briefly moved ahead 11-9
- Lynn responded with kills from Shaw, Radulovic and Rendic to regain the lead at 14-13
- The Fighting Knights continued to battle, using a solo block from Shaw and a kill from Pukl Verdel to build an 18-16 advantage
- Pukl Verdel added two more kills as Lynn maintained a narrow lead, while a Barry service error and an attack error gave the Fighting Knights a 22-19 advantage late in the frame
- However, the Buccaneers delivered the decisive response, rattling off six consecutive points to erase the three-point deficit
- Back-to-back service aces from Valeriya Kozlova highlighted Barry's late surge before Francesca Good sealed the 25-22 victory with a kill
- Despite Lynn recording 15 kills in the set, Barry's late rally gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage in the match
 
Set Four: Barry 25, Lynn 17
- Barry carried its momentum into the fourth set, opening with a 7-2 advantage to put the Fighting Knights in an early hole
- Lynn began chipping away at the deficit behind kills from Gorjup, Neill and Pukl Verdel, trimming Barry's lead to 10-7
- Gorjup delivered a service ace before Pukl Verdel followed with another, helping Lynn pull within a single point at 12-11
- The Fighting Knights completed their comeback moments later, using a kill from Radulovic and consecutive Barry errors to take a 15-12 lead
- However, the Buccaneers answered with eight consecutive points to turn Lynn's three-point advantage into a 20-15 deficit
- Radulovic and Neill added late kills for the Fighting Knights, but Barry closed the match on a 5-2 stretch to secure the 25-17 victory
- Lynn was held to seven kills and a .000 hitting percentage in the final frame, while Barry recorded 16 kills on .289 hitting to complete the four-set victory
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Pukl Verdel delivered a standout offensive performance, hammering a match-high-tying 16 kills on .343 hitting while adding nine digs, two blocks and a service ace
- Her 18.5 points led the Fighting Knights
- Radulovic provided a powerful presence at the net, finishing with 12 kills on .357 hitting while committing just two attack errors across 28 attempts
- She also contributed three blocks and 14 points
- Gorjup continued her impressive all-around play with a 34-assist, 13-dig double-double, adding three service aces and two kills to help direct Lynn's offense
- Maidantchik electrified the home crowd with a match-high four service aces, all during Lynn's dominant second-set victory, while adding eight digs and three assists
- Neill anchored Lynn's front-row defense with a team-high five blocks, including two solo rejections, while contributing six kills and 9.5 points
- Shaw added five kills, three blocks and seven points, providing a steady presence in the middle of the Fighting Knights' defense
- Rendic contributed six kills, 10 digs, three assists, two blocks and a service ace
- As a team, Lynn finished with 47 kills, 45 assists, nine service aces, 56 digs and 10 blocks
- The Fighting Knights' best offensive performance came in the second set, when they hit .385 and held Barry to just 14 points
 
UP NEXT:
Lynn returns to action at the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center on Friday night for another marquee matchup as the Fighting Knights take on the fourth-ranked Tampa Spartans at 7:00 pm.