Lynn University

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - No. 9 Lynn University women's volleyball refused to let an opening-set setback derail its momentum Saturday afternoon, battling back to defeat Palm Beach Atlantic, 3-1, in its final road match of the regular season at Rubin Arena.
 
The Fighting Knights (23-3, 15-2 SSC) showcased their resilience in a hard-fought Sunshine State Conference showdown, overcoming a 26-24 opening-set defeat before capturing three consecutive frames, 25-20, 27-25 and 25-23, to secure their fourth straight victory.
 
Lira Pukl Verdel and Zara Rendic powered Lynn's offensive attack with 16 kills apiece, while junior setter Ula Gorjup delivered a remarkable all-around performance with 49 assists, 19 digs and four service aces. Lillia Neill added 12 kills and five blocks as the Fighting Knights outlasted a determined Sailfish squad in a match featuring two sets decided by the minimum two points.
 
Despite Palm Beach Atlantic narrowly winning the hitting percentage battle, .263 to .259, Lynn made the difference with nine service aces, nine team blocks and 77 digs, compared to five aces, eight blocks and 64 digs for the Sailfish.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
PBA 26, Lynn 24
- The Fighting Knights opened the afternoon in a back-and-forth battle, with kills from Rendic and Alexia Radulovic helping Lynn grab an early 5-3 advantage
- Palm Beach Atlantic responded with an eight-point surge to turn a 6-6 deadlock into a commanding 11-6 lead
- Lynn fought back behind the offensive production of Pukl Verdel, who delivered multiple kills to keep the Fighting Knights within striking distance
- Trailing 20-14, Lynn mounted a late comeback as Rendic, Neill and Pukl Verdel helped chip away at the deficit
- The Fighting Knights eventually erased a 23-20 deficit, with Pukl Verdel delivering a crucial kill before Madison Jones fired an ace to give Lynn set point at 24-23
- The Sailfish responded with three consecutive points, including a pair of kills and a service ace, to steal the opening frame, 26-24
- Despite the setback, Lynn recorded 16 kills on .262 hitting in the opening set
 
Lynn 25, PBA 20
- Determined to answer, the Fighting Knights exploded out of the gate with a 6-1 advantage, fueled by consecutive service aces from Pukl Verdel and another from Gorjup
- Palm Beach Atlantic rallied to cut the deficit to 7-6, but Lynn continued to find answers through its balanced offensive attack
- Pukl Verdel struck again from the service line to extend Lynn's lead to 13-10, recording her third ace of the set
- Consecutive kills from Rendic pushed the advantage to 15-12 before Neill and Gorjup helped the Fighting Knights build an 18-14 cushion
- Lynn maintained control down the stretch, with kills from Shaw, Rendic and Neill pushing the lead to 24-19
- After the Sailfish fought off one set point, Radulovic hammered home the finishing kill to seal the 25-20 victory and even the match at one set apiece
- The Fighting Knights totaled 15 kills on .294 hitting in the frame, with their aggressive serving proving instrumental in the response
 
Lynn 27, PBA 25
- With the match tied at one set apiece, the third frame developed into another nail-biting battle
- Palm Beach Atlantic jumped ahead 4-2, but Lynn answered behind kills from Neill, Rendic and Pukl Verdel to regain momentum
- The Fighting Knights gradually built a 19-16 advantage, with Radulovic and Pukl Verdel providing timely offensive contributions
- Palm Beach Atlantic refused to go away, rallying to tie the score at 19-19 before Lynn responded with a kill from Rendic and a solo block by Neill
- Radulovic delivered another kill to extend the lead to 22-19, but the Sailfish clawed back to tie the frame at 24-24
- Neill answered with a clutch kill to give Lynn another set point at 25-24, only for Palm Beach Atlantic to respond once again
- With the score deadlocked at 25-25, Pukl Verdel delivered a massive kill to put the Fighting Knights back in front
- Gorjup then stepped to the service line and delivered the decisive ace, sealing a dramatic 27-25 victory and putting Lynn one set away from the match
- The Fighting Knights unleashed 20 kills in the third set, their highest total of the afternoon, while hitting .280
 
Lynn 25, PBA 23
- With victory in sight, Lynn wasted no time establishing its presence, opening the fourth set with a 3-0 run highlighted by two Gorjup service aces and a block from Shaw and Radulovic
- The Fighting Knights continued to attack, extending their lead to 7-2 behind consecutive kills from Rendic
- Palm Beach Atlantic fought back to even the score at 8-8, but Lynn responded with kills from Neill and Pukl Verdel to reclaim control
- Gorjup helped orchestrate another decisive stretch as Lynn stretched its advantage to 16-10
- The Sailfish mounted one final comeback, erasing a 19-16 deficit with four consecutive points to take a 20-19 lead
- A Palm Beach Atlantic service error brought the score even at 20-20 before the teams traded blows in a tense finish
- Shaw delivered a crucial kill to give Lynn a 22-21 advantage, but the Sailfish answered to even the score once again
- Pukl Verdel stepped up with a timely kill to push Lynn ahead 23-22 before Palm Beach Atlantic tied the frame at 23-23
- Radulovic rose to the occasion with a clutch kill to give the Fighting Knights match point at 24-23
- Rendic then delivered the final blow with a solo block, sealing the 25-23 victory and completing Lynn's four-set comeback
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Pukl Verdel delivered a sensational all-around performance, tying for the team lead with 16 kills while unleashing three service aces and collecting 13 digs
- She finished with a team-high 19 points and delivered a crucial kill late in the dramatic third set
- Rendic matched Pukl Verdel with 16 kills while adding 11 digs, a service ace and two blocks
- Her clutch solo block on match point slammed the door on Palm Beach Atlantic's comeback hopes
- Gorjup orchestrated Lynn's offense with an outstanding 49 assists while collecting a team-high 19 digs for another double-double
- The junior also delivered four service aces, including the set-winning strike in the third frame, and added four kills on .500 hitting
- Neill continued to make her presence felt at the net, hammering 12 kills while leading the Fighting Knights with five blocks, including two solo rejections, to finish with 15.5 points
- Radulovic provided crucial offensive firepower with 10 kills and four block assists, delivering the set-winning kill in the second frame and the go-ahead strike late in the fourth
- Shaw was nearly unstoppable when called upon offensively, recording seven kills without an attack error on 19 swings for a .368 hitting percentage while adding three block assists
- Clara Maidantchik anchored Lynn's defensive efforts with 15 digs and two assists, helping the Fighting Knights maintain their composure throughout the tightly contested afternoon
- As a team, Lynn showcased its depth and determination, finishing with 65 kills, 59 assists, 77 digs, nine service aces and nine team blocks
- Four Fighting Knights reached double figures in kills, while Gorjup, Rendic and Pukl Verdel each recorded double-doubles
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights will prepare for the final homestand of the 2026 regular season as three top-tier opponents come into the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center this upcoming week, kicking off with No. 11 Barry on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:00 pm.