Lynn University

BOCA RATON, Fla. - With their backs against the wall, the No. 12-ranked Fighting Knights delivered a furious response Friday night. Lynn erased deficits of 1-0 and 2-1, dominated the fourth set and outlasted Eckerd in a heart-pounding fifth to capture a 3-2 (17-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-11, 15-13) comeback victory inside the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center. Lira Pukl Verdel powered the comeback with a match-high 22 kills and 13 digs as Lynn improved to 10-2 overall and 2-1 in Sunshine State Conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One: Eckerd 25, Lynn 17

- Eckerd grabbed the early momentum and forced the Fighting Knights to battle from behind throughout the opening frame
- Lynn began to find its rhythm behind kills from Pukl Verdel, Alexia Radulovic and Zara Rendic

- Clara Maidantchik ignited a Fighting Knight surge with back-to-back aces, while Lillia Neill delivered a solo block as Lynn stormed back to within one, 16-15

- The Tritons halted the comeback with a late run of their own and regained control down the stretch
- Eckerd secured the opener, 25-17, while holding Lynn to 10 kills and a .027 hitting percentage

Set Two: Lynn 25, Eckerd 23

- Pukl Verdel and Radulovic opened the second with kills, but Eckerd answered with a commanding run to build an 18-10 advantage

- Facing an eight-point deficit, the Fighting Knights came roaring back behind kills from Neill, Pukl Verdel and Radulovic

- Lynn continued to chip away before completely erasing the deficit and turning the set into a battle down the stretch

- Pukl Verdel delivered a crucial late ace, and Radulovic followed with another kill as the Fighting Knights surged in front
- Lynn completed the thrilling comeback, 25-23, to even the match at one set apiece.

- The Fighting Knights erupted for 17 kills and hit .250 in the frame

Set Three: Eckerd 26, Lynn 24

- Neither side gave an inch in a tightly contested third set as the Fighting Knights and Tritons traded punches throughout the frame

- Radulovic, Pukl Verdel, Amaya Roberson and Neill powered the Lynn attack and kept the Fighting Knights right with Eckerd into the closing points

- The Tritons reached set point at 24-23, but Audrey Shaw came through with a clutch kill to keep Lynn alive and extend the frame

- Eckerd answered with the next two points to escape with a 26-24 win and take a 2-1 advantage in the match

- Lynn posted a match-high 20 kills in the third set while hitting .204

Set Four: Lynn 25, Eckerd 11

- With its back against the wall, Lynn responded in dominant fashion and completely flipped the momentum of the match

- Ivy Westfall provided a major spark from the service line as the Fighting Knights quickly seized control and began pulling away

- Pukl Verdel, Shaw and Radulovic hammered home kills during the surge as Lynn pushed its advantage into double figures

- Westfall added an ace as the Fighting Knights continued to pour it on, never allowing Eckerd an opportunity to recover

- Lynn's defense smothered the Triton attack, holding Eckerd to six kills and forcing eight attacking errors

- The Fighting Knights rolled to a commanding 25-11 victory to send the match to a decisive fifth set

- Eckerd was held to a -.054 hitting percentage, while Lynn hit .214

Set Five: Lynn 15, Eckerd 13

- Eckerd grabbed an early 3-1 advantage, but Lynn quickly answered with three straight points, highlighted by kills from Shaw and Pukl Verdel and a block from Shaw and Radulovic

- Pukl Verdel continued to deliver as the Fighting Knights pushed ahead 7-4 before Neill sent Lynn into the changeover with an 8-5 lead

- The Tritons battled back and eventually erased the deficit at 9-9, setting up a back-and-forth finish with the match hanging in the balance

- Lynn regained the lead at 10-9 behind a block from Ula Gorjup and Neill, but Eckerd responded with two straight points to move ahead 11-10

- Rendic answered with back-to-back kills for the Fighting Knights as the two sides continued trading points, leaving the deciding set deadlocked at 13-13
- Pukl Verdel delivered when Lynn needed her most, hammering home the go-ahead kill to give the Fighting Knights match point at 14-13

- Pukl Verdel then finished the comeback at the net, combining her pressure with an Eckerd attacking error to seal a thrilling 15-13 fifth-set victory and the five-set win for Lynn

FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:

- Lynn improves to 10-2 overall and 2-1 in Sunshine State Conference play

- The Fighting Knights rallied from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to defeat Eckerd in five sets

- The Tritons battled back and eventually erased the deficit at 9-9, setting up a back-and-forth finish with the match hanging in the balance

- The Fighting Knights held Eckerd to a -.054 hitting percentage in the fourth set and .038 in the fifth

- Lynn finished with a 69-46 advantage in kills, a 59-38 edge in assists and a 70-57 advantage in digs

- Pukl Verdel led all players with 22 kills while hitting .259 and added 13 digs and two service aces for a double-double

- Radulovic registered 15 kills on .355 hitting, committing just four errors on 31 attacks

- Neill added 11 kills and two blocks

- Shaw hit a match-best .455, finishing with six kills on 11 attacks with just one error

- Gorjup handed out a match-high 52 assists and collected 15 digs for a double-double

- Maidantchik added 14 digs and two service aces, while Ella Voorhees finished with 11 digs

- Lynn hit .259 in the decisive fifth set, recording nine kills against just two errors

- The victory marked Lynn's 10th win of the season

UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights return to home court on Saturday at 4:00 pm for a showdown with Saint Leo to close out the weekend.