WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The Eckerd College volleyball team split two matches in the final day of the Peggy Martin Challenge on Saturday. Freshman setter Madison Burr was named to the All-Tournament team after recording seven service aces on Saturday.
MATCH #1 (Eckerd vs. Academy of Art)
EC-Academy of Art Box Score
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Eckerd College sophomore middle blocker Olivia Fraser had 16 kills on just 22 swings to lead the Tritons to a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-18, 25-18) over the Academy of Art on Saturday at the Peggy Martin Challenge.
Freshman outside hitter Lindsay Biggs had 12 kills on 17 attacks, as the Tritons (5-2) won for the fourth time in their last five matches.
Freshman Kaleigh Humphrey added seven kills and nine digs. Eckerd hit a season-best .417 overall and recorded eight service aces.
The Tritons never trailed in the first set, hitting .441 en route to a quick lead. Eckerd used a 12-2 spurt in the second set, keyed by a .483 hit percentage, to take a 2-0 advantage.
EC carried the momentum to the final set, jumping out to a 10-3 lead and never trailing.
Dan Yang paced the Urban Knights (2-5) with 12 kills.
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MATCH #2 (Eckerd College vs. Emporia State)
EC-Emporia State Box Score
WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Eckerd College volleyball team nearly pulled off its second upset in as many days, but No. 13 Emporia State took a five-set win (25-21, 16-25, 19-25, 25-22, 8-15) over the Tritons on Saturday at the Peggy Martin Challenge.
Brittney Miller had a match-high 22 kills on 36 swings, as the Hornets (6-1) held off a strong effort from Eckerd, which upset No. 20 Pittsburg State on Friday.
The Hornet defense was solid, out-digging Eckerd 78-62. ESU also hit .297 overall.
Early on, though, the Tritons were rolling offensively. Alex Laton had three kills on just three attempts, as Eckerd took the early 1-0 lead. But ESU got its offense going during the next two sets, hitting .467 and .364 in sets two and three, respectively, to take a 2-1 advantage.
The Tritons, however, tied the match thanks to better defense – holding the Hornets to a .100 hit percentage – and six kills and five digs from Biggs.
In the decisive fifth, the Hornets hit .500 and won the final five points to clinch it.
Eckerd, which defeated the Academy of Art earlier on Saturday, finished the two-day event 2-2.
The Tritons will make their 2010 home debut at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, hosting No. 2 Tampa in the Sunshine State Conference opener.
