Box Score

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Eastern Kentucky University's Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament run ended with a 3-1 loss to No. 1 seed Florida Gulf Coast in the semifinals on Friday at FGCU's Alico Arena.
 
Senior Sarah Mitchell led the Colonels (21-10) with 14 kills to go along with 12 digs.  Junior AG Vandagriff had 10 kills and three blocks.  Junior Carson Ledford tied for a match-best six blocks and senior Kambree Lucas served up three aces.
 
FGCU (26-4) won by scores of 25-19, 18-25, 25-23 and 25-16.
 
The Colonels closed a 3-point deficit to one, 11-10, in the first set on a kill from Vandagriff and an FGCU attack error.  However, that is as close as EKU would get the rest of the set.  The Eagles scored four of the next five to open up a 15-11 edge.  A block from Oreva Evivie and Barbara Koehler kept the margin at four, 17-13.  Another block, this time from Skylar English and Ella Chapman, made it a 5-point lead, 19-14.  Florida Gulf Coast took set-point on a blocking error and won the opener, 25-19, after an attack error on the next series.
 
EKU went in front 12-10 on a block from Ledford and Vandagriff in the second set, forcing a timeout from FGCU.  A kill from Vandagriff followed by an attack error put the Colonels on top by three, 15-12.  Emilee Hill's kill and consecutive aces from Lucas extended EKU's lead to six, 20-14, and forced another Eagle timeout.  A kill from Mitchell handed the Colonels set-point at 24-17.  Moments later another kill from the senior outside hitter ended the set, 25-18, and tied the match.
 
After Mitchell tied the third set at 7-7 with a kill, Florida Gulf Coast scored two straight and five of the next six.  A kill from Chapman made it 12-8 and led to a timeout by EKU.  The Eagles scored two more out of the timeout to stretch it to a 7-1 run.  Another Chapman kill had the home team ahead by six, 14-8.  The Colonels clawed all the way back to tie it, using a 7-2 run to erase a 16-12 deficit.  Ledford's kill, followed by a block from Hill and Ledford, made it 18-18.  EKU completed the comeback, going in front 21-20 on a kill from Mitchell.  After the Colonels took a 22-21 lead on a kill from Vandagriff, FGCU answered with three straight to retake the lead and reach set-point.  The Eagles won it, 25-23, on a kill from Destiny Nelson.
 
Florida Gulf Coast won the first three points of the fourth set and six of the first seven.  After taking a 10-4 lead on an ace from Raegan Richardson, the Eagles watched as the Colonels scored five straight to get within one.  A kill from Hill and an ace from Lucas made it a 10-9 game.  EKU got within one again, 11-10, on another kill from Hill, but FGCU had the answer.  The Eagles scored seven of the next nine to open up a 6-point advantage and led the rest of the way. 
 
English led all players with 16 kills for Florida Gulf Coast.  Koehler had 12 kills and hit .524 for the match.
 
The Eagles finished with 64 kills compared to 49 for EKU.  FGCU out-hit the Colonels .272 to .236 and had two more aces.  EKU had an 11-9 edge in blocks.