AVE MARIA, Fla. — The Keiser volleyball team delivered a  five-set victory in the Sun Conference Quarterfinals on Tuesday night, defeating Ave Maria 25-23, 22-25, 26-28, 25-19, 15-4 inside Tom Golisano Field House on the road.

The Seahawks leaned on a defensive performance from senior libero Faith Marquis, who tallied a career-high 37 digs, marking the fourth-most in program history for a five-set match. Marquis also added five service aces and seven assists in a night that showcased her consistency from the back row.

After splitting the first two sets, Keiser dropped a tight third frame 28-26 despite several lengthy rallies and big kills from Cece Worsham, who led all players with 20 kills and 26 digs. The Seahawks responded with poise in the fourth, holding the Gyrenes to a .106 hitting percentage while finding their rhythm offensively. Behind strong play from middle blockers Isabella Steffel and Aubree Valcourt, Keiser pulled away late to even the match and force a decisive fifth set.

Momentum carried into the final frame as Keiser opened with a 10-3 lead and never looked back. The Seahawks closed out the match 15-4. Worsham and Valcourt delivered key kills during the run, while Marquis anchored the backcourt and Dills directed the attack finishing the night with 49 assists and 24 digs.

Valcourt finished with 13 kills on a .333 hitting clip and five blocks. Steffel anchored the net with seven total blocks, and both Makenzi Bennett and Abby Lester added nine kills apiece. The Seahawks' defense combined for 132 digs, their highest total of the season, holding Ave Maria to just .085 hitting overall.

• Keiser improves to 13-11 overall heading to the conference semifinals Friday at 4:00 PM
• The Seahawks remain undefeated versus Ave Maria in postseason play (3-0)
• Faith Marquis' 37 digs rank fourth all-time in a five-set match in program history
• Keiser totaled 132 digs, surpassing the century mark the first time this season
• Cece Worsham notched her seventh double-double of the season (20 kills, 26 digs)
• Aubree Valcourt set a career-high of seven total blocks this evening
• Keiser hit .409 in the final set, their highest mark of the match
• The Seahawks posted 11 service aces compared to Ave Maria's five
• Mallory Dills registered her seventh match this season with 40 or more assists

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