CLEVELAND, Tenn. - West Florida (16-4, 10-0 GSC) used its grit to withstand late Lee rallies in the first and third sets and its power to run away with the middle frame on its way to defeating the Flames (12-10, 4-6 GSC) in straight sets (25-23, 25-9, 25-22) at Paul Dana Walker Arena today. 
 
UWF led in every major category except aces and outhit the hosts .272 to .087, holding them to a negative hitting percentage after two sets before Lee won the offensive battle in the final set by .010 percent. The Argonauts racked up 39 kills while committing just 11 errors and held the Lady Flames to a final stat line of 29 kills to 20 miscues.
 
When Bailee Sterling and Avery Rodgers split on their second block of the game, it gave the girls from Pensacola their fourth straight score and an early 7-4 lead. Lee then led a span of 6-1 to take a one-point lead before Jenna Zydlo flipped it completely with two kills assisted by each of her primary setters, Gabi Moulton and Izabelle Sanchez. After a trade of points, Sterling began to grow the 15-12 Argo lead with a solo block before a bad set and kills from Rodgers and Annie Monaco. 
 
Trailing 20-13, the Lady Flames threatened to pull a fast one on UWF with an 8-1 run. Three of the last four points in the stretch were aces by Abby Stroh as part of a frame that saw six aces by Lee, four from Stroh alone, to none for UWF. Tied at 23, an attack error was just what the Argonauts needed, as Sterling then polished off the set, bookending it with kills. 
 
With a 9-6 lead in the second period, the Argos broke out in a big way, scoring 16 of the last 19 points to easily go up 2-0. They showed out with complete offensive domination, outhitting Lee .500 to .029. The decisive point was a 6-0 run on top of West Florida's 16-8 lead. Sterling started and ended it via the kill again, as Rodgers and Jacque Martin put up kills of their own and Monaco scored back-to-back aces. Leading 22-9, Sterling added a kill and an ace for good measure before a Stroh error sent it to the decisive frame. 
 
Sterling picked up right where she left off, sending two balls to the floor for her squad's first points. A string of four straight Lee miscues, one of which came by way of a block by Zydlo and Monaco, gave UWF a 9-6 lead, and after two Lady Flame kills pulled them within one, a Damyah Joyner kill and a solo Monaco block put the Blue and Green up by three. Monaco collected a kill and an ace around kills by Martin and Rodgers before two more from the middle hitter combination of Sterling and Zydlo made the Argo lead 18-11. Stephanie Barber then checked in and promptly registered an ace between kills by Rodgers and Zydlo. 
 
Tense moments ensued after the Argos went up 22-12, as Lee tore off a 10-1 run built on two more Stroh aces and one by Macy Petty to get within one late. In need of someone to step up, Joyner answered the call as her kill brought it to set point. Meg Brackhan served up the 17th ace of the contest to end this one. 
 
Sterling led the box score with a stellar performance, featuring 10 kills on a .529 output with five block assists. Rodgers killed nine balls, and she and Monaco each assisted three blocks. Monaco, Joyner and Zydlo each contributed five kills. Brackhan led the defense once again with 19 digs. Monaco added nine scoops, and Moulton had eight in addition to facilitating 20 kills. 
 
The win is the the fifth sweep in the Argos' last six contests and the seventh overall of UWF's first segment of conference matchups. The Argonauts step out of conference play next weekend as they participate in the SSC vs. GSC South Region Crossover on October 20-21 in Orlando, Fla.  
 
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