ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Senior outside hitter
Lydee Benoit amassed 24 kills and 11 digs, nearly leading Eckerd to a victory after falling behind two sets to none but it was not enough as the Nova Southeastern Sharks (14-8, 5-4 SSC) held on to defeat the Eckerd Tritons (13-9, 4-5 SSC) by a score of 3-2 (25-22, 25-23, 24-26, 18-25, 18-16) on Friday evening at the McArthur Center.
In the first set, an NSU attack error drew the Tritons to within a point at 21-20 but the Sharks would go on to win five of the set's final seven points to win 25-22. In the set, neither team hit for an especially good attack percentage, as Eckerd and NSU hit .073 and .119, respectively. Taylor Pohlman led the Sharks with four kills whle Benoit amassed six kills. Manning also talled three blocks.
In the second set, Eckerd held a 17-15 lead but the Sharks would reel off five straight points, led by two kills by Lucia Cizmarova, to take a 19-17 lead. The Tritons would recover to tie the score at 22-22 on a kill by Benoit but, once again, Pohlman led NSU down the stretch, registering two kills as the Sharks clinched the 25-23 victory.
In the third set, the Sharks jumped out to a 14-8 lead on a kill by Janerra McGruder. Eckerd would go on to score six of eight points to close the score to 16-14. After NSU pushed its lead to 22-17, the Tritons would finish the set on a 8-2 run, paced by two kills each by Manning and Benoit to win the set, 26-24.
In the set, Eckerd hit a decent .325 while holding the Sharks to a .204 attack percentage. Benoit led the Eckerd charge again, compiling eight kills whole McGruder led NSU with five.
In the fourth set, the Sharks took a 17-16 lead on a kill by Cizmarova but the Tritons would go on a 9-2 run, capped by a kill by setter
Bri Smith, to win the set, 25-18.
Ariana Chinn led Eckerd with five kills in the set while Cizmarova also amassed five kills. The Tritons hit .500 for the set while the Sharks managed just .152.
In the decisive fifth set, a kill by Manning gave Eckerd an 8-6 lead prior to the teams switching sides but back-to-back kills by Pohlman helped tie the score at 10-10. Next, the Tritons would go on to register three consecutive points to take a commanding 13-10 lead. NSU would not be out-down, however, going on a four-point run of its own, taking a 14-13 lead on a service ace by McGruder but Benoit tied the set again at 14-14. The two teams remained deadlocked until 16-16 when an Eckerd attack error gave the Sharks a lead before a block by Molly Sigerich and Cizmarova clinched the set and the match for NSU, 18-16.
Eckerd hit .244 while NSU .194. Chinn added 18 kills to the Triton offensive output while NSU had four players in double figure kills.
Hallie Ward notched 28 digs for Eckerd while Manning tallied eight total blocks.
The Tritons will return to action on Saturday as they host Lynn at 4pm at the McArthur Center.
