MIAMI, Fla. – Gamecocks volleyball lost 3-0 against Florida International Saturday afternoon.
 
The Gamecocks (11-13, 5-7) dropped a close first set 26-24. The Panthers (16-9, 10-2) then took the second set 25-16 and the third set 25-21.
 
Kayla Williams was Jax State's go-to hitter with a team-high 10 kills. Sophia Schweikert followed Williams with eight, while Amaya Tolentino had six kills, respectively. Sanni Rantanen led the Gamecocks with three blocks, while Luci Wilkinson had a team-best two aces.
 
Wilkinson also led the Red-and-White with 10 digs. Rantanen added eight digs, and Morgan Blazzard tallied seven digs. Charlee Solomon notched 26 assists in the setter position. As a team, Jax State had 34 kills, 39 digs, 29 assists, five blocks, and four aces against FIU.
 
In the opening set, Jax State went on an early 6-1 run capped off by a Solomon ace to grab an early 10-4 advantage. The Gamecocks then went up 15-9 at the midway point of the set thanks to a 4-0 run. FIU used a late 3-0 run to take their first lead of the set 22-21. Schweikert and Williams went back-to-back with kills to grant the Gamecocks the lead again at 23-22 before FIU jumped back in front 24-23. Tolentino's kill to make it 24-24 was the final point of the set for the Gamecocks.
 
FIU went ahead 11-6 in the first set before a Rantanen kill put the Gamecocks within four. D'Yanna Spicer's kill later in the set started a 4-0 run by Jax State to make it 20-16. The Panthers closed the second set on a 5-0 run.
 
The third set was competitive as Jax State got off to a 6-3 lead before FIU stormed back to go ahead 7-6. The Gamecocks and Panthers traded blows and by the media break it was 15-14 in favor of Jax State. Late in the set, FIU went up 23-19 before a Williams kill put Jax State within three. FIU closed out the third with a 25-21 win.
 
Jax State returns to Pete Mathews Coliseum next Thursday, Nov. 6, and Friday, Nov. 7, to face New Mexico State in the final home matches of the season.
 
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