December 2, 2016
 
BOX SCORE
 
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.  –  The University of West Florida volleyball team put a scare into the No. 1-seeded and No. 10 nationally ranked Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish in its NCAA South Regional Semifinal match, but the Argonauts saw its season come to a close after a four-set (25-22, 17-25, 12-25, 25-27) defeat. With the win, PBA extends the nation's longest winning streak to a remarkable 30 matches.
 
West Florida finishes its 2016 season, a season where it reached its 11^th consecutive NCAA Tournament and earned its highest tournament seed since 2013, with a 26-10 record.
 
"That was probably a lot more than what people expected it to be," said head coach Melissa Wolter. "I think our team was very well prepared. I think we came in and put together exactly what we wanted to in the beginning of the match."
 
UWF put PBA on high-alert with a first set victory where the Argonaut defense held PBA to just a .119 attack percentage. Tori Martella led the way in the early stages with eight of the team's 22 digs, while Cora Bidlack and Katy Kuhlmeier posted five kills and four kills, respectively, to lead the early offensive effort.
 
After PBA used a 6-3 spurt to cut UWF's first-set lead to 23-20, UWF called a timeout and responded with set-ending kills from Bidlack and Kuhlmeier to hand UWF a 25-22 victory.
 
"We were incredibly pumped," stated senior Corisha Smith about the first set win. "We knew we had nothing to lose. We wanted to come out fighting and show everyone this is what West Florida volleyball is all about."
 
PBA showed why it has won each of its last 29 matches coming into the night, posting a combined .358 hitting percentage over the second and third set to take a 2-1 lead. PBA limited the Argonauts to a .048 attack percentage over that span as the Sailfish won the sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-12, respectively.
 
With its back against the wall, UWF pushed PBA to the limit during a fourth set that featured an eye-popping 14 ties and three lead changes. With UWF trailing 10-8, the Argonauts posted four consecutive kills, including a pair from Jordyn Poppen, to take a 12-10 lead. PBA then called a timeout, and eventually grabbed an 18-17 lead after a back-and forth battle where the Argos and Sailfish went point-for-point on seven consecutive services.
 
Both offenses converted at strong rates in the fourth, as UWF posted a .349 attack percentage against PBA's .400. Poppen took over offensively in the fourth set, recording seven kills on 12 swings for a .500 hitting percentage.
 
On match point with a 25-24 PBA lead, Smith came through for the Argos by posting her 14^th kill of the match to tie the score at 25-25. Unfortunately for UWF, PBA recorded the next two points with a kill and a block to solidify its spot in the 2016 NCAA South Regional Final.
 
"I think our passing got back on track (in the fourth set) and that allowed Mo (Monique StCyr) to be able to set our hitters and give them more options," explained Martella, who finishes her four-year career as one of UWF's all-time greats as the program's career digs leader. "We showed a ton of fight. It was great to play with them."
 
West Florida was statistically led by Smith, who collected 14 kills and finishes her career with the Argonauts fifth in UWF's record book with 1,016 career kills. Rachel Neblett and Poppen contributed impressive offensive performances, recording hitting percentages of .391 and .429, respectively.
 
StCyr tallied 47 assists and a .402 setting percentage. UWF had a pair of players with double-digit dig totals, including Martella with 14, and Smith, who recorded her first double double of the season, with 10.
 
West Florida was hindered by recording zero blocks for the first time all season.  
 
"I want to thank our seniors, they battled through a lot," said Wolter. "I think this is a special year, just simply because of some of the hits we took during the year and the way that they made some promises to me.  That's rare as players to make promises to a coach, and they came through and that will forever be held in my heart."
 
West Florida says farewell to six seniors, including Martella, Smith, Bidlack, Kourtney Pittaway, Holly Mattmuller and Kathryn Torre. The group helped lead UWF to a combined 106-33 record (.763 win percentage) over the past four years, including a 2013 GSC Championship and four NCAA South Regional appearances.
 
"Their (UWF Athletics) motto is 'Building Champions for Life,' and that's exactly what this program and Coach Melissa Wolter is all about," said Martella. "She really focuses on each girl, and it's been a heck of a season. I wouldn't have wanted to have played with anybody else. It's been a great four years and it's the best choice of my whole entire life."
 
"We're all sisters now on this team. We'll be friends for life," said Smith. "I am completely grateful for this opportunity to be able to play in this program. Coach (Wolter) is an awesome lady. She backs us in everything we do, and I couldn't have asked for anything more."