Game One Box
Game Two Box
TAMPA, Fla. – The Eckerd College volleyball program fashioned together a pair of straight-set sweeps to open the University of Tampa Classic, taking down Tiffin (Ohio) University and Clarion (Pa.) University on Friday in the Martinez Center by respective 3-0 decisions.
The Tritons (2-1, 0-0 SSC) successfully bounced back from a season-opening defeat the night before against No. 15 Lewis (Ill.) University, another participant at the two-day Tampa Classic.
Eckerd kept both programs they faced on Friday out of the win column, beating the Dragons (0-2 overall) of Tiffin in the opener by scores of 25-14, 25-16 and 27-25, before riding the momentum through against the Eagles (0-2 overall) from Clarion, 25-7, 25-20 and 25-22.
A balanced offensive attack catalyzed the win against Tiffin as lefty-swinging Arianna Chinn recorded a team-high six kills. Five more Tritons aided the cause with five kills apiece in the form of
Olivia Fraser,
Maija Strazdina,
Ali McAlvany,
Madison Burr and
Ana de Olano.
Eckerd's offense ran to the tune of an efficient .337 hitting percentage, a stark contrast to the .115 clip mustered (including 18 attacking errors) by the Dragons.
Burr and senior
Bri Smith combined to set the table for the Tritons' hitters with 34 assists.
But even more impressive was the way Eckerd hit the court on an hour's rest against Clarion, coming off a five-set thriller against Colorado Christian University earlier in the afternoon. The Tritons came out on a mission and put together a 7-0 run to begin play before the Eagles could put a point on the board.
Burr keyed an 8-0 run, still in the first set, by controlling offensive possession on the serving end.
After a kill by Clarion's Aubree Frye represented Eckerd's first deficit of the match, the Tritons countered with a 5-0 run in the second set, including a pair of kills from Fraser through the middle of the Clarion defense.
Fraser and Strazdina each hammered down 10 kills to lead the Tritons against the Eagles. After compiling a double-double (15 kills, 11 digs) in the season opener against Lewis,
Lindsay Biggs recorded 17 more digs while spiking six kills.
Biggs also kept Clarion off balance with three service aces.
Burr and Smith each served up a dozen assists from the setter position.
The Tritons wrap up the Tampa Classic with a 12:15 p.m. showdown tomorrow against Colorado Christian University (2-1 overall).
