FORT PIERCE, Fla. – Santa Fe Volleyball forced a fifth set on the road at Indian River State College and staved off three match points, but in the end, the Pioneers outlasted the Saints, 25-10, 22-25, 27-25, 10-25, 16-14.

Both teams entered the day seeking their first Suncoast Conference victory, and an ace on the match's final point secured it for the hosts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

SF started slowly on the road, and the Pioneers cruised to a 25-10 result in Set 1, doing damage with their swings. During one stretch, IRSC went on a run of nine unanswered points.

The Saints fell behind by as many as five in the early moments of Set 2, 10-5.

A 6-1 SF spurt quickly drew the set even at 11-11, and the Saints started to find some success in their attack's execution.

The two teams went back-and-forth, and the score was still knotted at 22-22 before the Saints tied the match at a set apiece by scoring the final three points, which included a kill from Keionna Mackey and an ace from Melanie Oglesby.

In Set 3, IRSC once again gained the upper hand, leading by six, 15-9.

Trailing 17-12, the Saints got right back into the set on the strength of an 8-1 run, seizing a 20-18 lead. With the set coming down to the wire, both teams fought off set points until an attack error put the Pioneers ahead 2-1.

Santa Fe steamrolled through with a cleanly played Set 4 to force the decisive fifth set, going on a 12-2 run to take control.

With it all on the line in the final frame, each side traded blows. After a Mackey kill put SF in front 8-7, the Pioneers produced the next three points to gain some separation and force a Saints' timeout.

IRSC earned match points at 14-11, but all three were impressively saved by the Saints, courtesy of a kill and ace from Faith Marquis and a block from Larissa Seger-Griebeler and Cali Conner.

After a timeout from the hosts with the score at 14-14, a service error and ace accounted for the Pioneers' final two tallies, sending the Saints to heartbreak and a fifth-straight defeat in the Suncoast Conference gauntlet. IRSC meanwhile snapped a three-game skid.

Full statistics from the match will be made available as soon as possible.

UPDATED RECORDS

Santa Fe – 4-7, 0-6 Suncoast

Indian River – 5-12, 1-5 Suncoast

All-Time Series - 8-7, Indian River

UP NEXT

The Saints prepare for a four-match week, which will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 27 with a nonconference matchup at Lake-Sumter State College. First serve between the two teams is set for 6:00 p.m. in Leesburg. In the 2022 season opener on Aug. 24, the Saints prevailed over the Lakehawks, 3-1.