Cape Fear Outlasts Pitt in Five-Set Battle

Wilmington, NC - Cape Fear Community College showed grit and resilience in a five-set thriller, outlasting Pitt Community College 3–2 at the Schwartz Center. The Sea Devils started hot, taking the opening set 25-15 behind a .667 hitting percentage, but faltered in the middle frames as Pitt stole sets two and three.

Facing a 2-1 deficit, Cape Fear turned the tide in the fourth set with improved defensive rhythm. Key blocks from Laci Bitterman and strong serving from Liberty Ipsen and Sophia Luoni helped the Sea Devils regroup, forcing a decisive fifth set with a 25-18 win.

The final frame was tight throughout, but Cape Fear held steady. Rose Eklund capped off a career night with 19 kills and 15 digs, while Emma Anderson added 14 kills and Nevaeh Ortiz chipped in 10 more. Ipsen distributed the offense with 27 assists and three aces, while libero Quinn Meiser anchored the back row with a team-high 21 digs. Off the bench, Luoni provided a spark with 10 digs and two clutch aces that swung momentum late.

In total, the Sea Devils tallied 57 kills, 12 aces, and 12 blocks to secure the 15-13 victory in set five. The win improves Cape Fear's record to 7-1 heading into conference play.

Head Coach Colby Rosser's Take:
"We are always happy to come away with a win. Pitt exposed some things we needed to know as we move into region play and provided a great challenge for us."

Cape Fear will return to action Friday at home against Richard Bland College. Game time is set for 6:00 pm.