BOCA RATON, Fla. - The 21st-ranked Eckerd Tritons (6-4, 0-1 SSC) failed to overcome a sluggish start en route to falling at the hands of the Lynn Fighting Knights (10-2, 1-0 SSC), 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20) on Friday evening at Lynn's deHornle Center. The loss snaps Eckerd's winning streak at five matches.
In the first set, the Knights used ten consecutive points to jump out to an 11-1 lead before a kill by Regi Silva stopped the Lynn run if only momentarily. The Knights continued their blazing start to the tune of a 15-4 score before Eckerd Head Coach Courtney Draper used the second of two timeouts at her disposal for the set.
The Tritons, however, could not catch up as their offense, which posted a -.068 attack percentage, proved ineffective throughout the set despite winning five of the last seven points in the set. Lynn's defense stymied the Eckerd attack thanks to six total blocks.
In the second set, the Tritons used the momentum they started building at the end of the first set to take a 20-17 lead after back-to-back kills by Silva and
Lydee Benoit in a what was hotly-contested set. Up 24-23, Eckerd completed the comeback as Silva clinched the set with a tip over a pair of Lynn blockers.
For the set, both teams swung at a .174 attack percentage.
Ariana Chinn led the Tritons with five kills while setter
Megan Golovkin amassed seven digs.
In the pivotal third set, Eckerd jumped out to a 15-11 lead after a combined block by Chinn and
Allegra Shaw. The Knights, however, would go on an 8-3 run to take a 19-18 lead but an attack error followed by a kill by Benoit put the Tritons back on top, 20-19. Eckerd would not hold the lead long, though, as the Knights responded by taking six of the set's final eight points to win the set and regain the lead in the match, 2-1.
The third set proved to be challenging for both team's offenses as Lynn attacked at a .095 percentage while Eckerd posted a sub-.000 percentage for the second time in the match at -.024. Chinn once again led Eckerd with five kills.
In the fourth set, the Knights capitalized on their momentum swing, climbing out to a 19-16 lead after consecutive kills by Devon Woolard and Chelsea Semprini. After back-to-back service aces by
Hallie Ward made it a one-point game, Lynn would stretch its lead and put the match out of reach at 22-19 after a kill by Sophie Gagnon.
For the match, Eckerd managed just a .030 attack percentage with Chinn leading the squad with 11 kills. The Tritons also featured four players that tallied double-digit kills with Ward leading Eckerd with 22. Lynn hit a modest .165 with Kala Abdell pacing the Knight attack. Woolard dished out 27 set assists while tallying 18 digs.
Eckerd will return to the hardwood on Saturday as it concludes its Southeastern Florida trip by facing the Nova Southeastern Sharks at 4pm at the University Center.
