Spartans Slip to No. 5 in AVCA Poll
LEXINGTON, Ky. - After dropping its first Sunshine State Conference contest in four years, the University of Tampa volleyball team slides to No. 5 in the latest release of the American Volleyball Coaches Association coaches' poll, announced Monday.
The Spartans finished the week 1-1 after sweeping Nova Southeastern and then falling in five sets to Lynn. UT carries a 17-4 record with a 7-1 tally in SSC matchups.
Ferris State climbs to the No. 1 spot for the first time in program history, as the Bulldogs enter the week with a whopping 22-1 overall record. Northern State was dealt its first loss of the season, a five-frame thriller at the hands of No. 4 Southwest Minnesota State this past weekend. The Wolves remain No. 2 despite suffering its first setback of the year.
Concordia, St. Paul sits No. 3 in the latest release to round out the top five squads. Another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team, Wayne State (Neb.), retains its No. 6 rank while Wheeling Jesuit slips to No. 7. Finishing out the top-10 are Rockhurst, Minnesota-Duluth and Washburn, entering the week as the No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
Regional powerhouse Palm Beach Atlantic leaps past Florida Southern after taking their Saturday matchup in four sets. PBA takes the No. 14 rank while FSC drops to No. 17.
West Florida is the last remaining South Region program that garnered a ranking, as the Argonauts fall to No. 23 in Division II.
Tampa has earned a ranking for 264 consecutive AVCA polling periods, a mark that ranks second only to No. 15 Central Missouri, as both are active program records. UT holds the Division II record for most times ranked in the top 10 with 255 releases of the AVCA coaches' poll and have garnered a top-10 rank for 143 consecutive releases.
The Spartans will continue conference play Tuesday, meeting Saint Leo for a 7 p.m. home contest. The match represents the annual Dig Pink event to raise awareness for breast cancer. Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be made available through www.tampaspartans.com.
Click here for the complete AVCA Week 8 release
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