Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – Sophomore right-side hitter
Ali McAlvany slugged 18 kills to complement a .517 attacking percentage as the Eckerd College volleyball program cruised past Christian Brothers (Tenn.) University to open the Red Elephant Café South Region Crossover on Friday, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-20).
The Tritons (13-7, 6-2 SSC) bested the Lady Buccaneers (13-6, 7-2 GSC) in a rematch from the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, a five-set EC triumph that paved a path to the Sweet 16.
CBU defeated Saint Leo University earlier in the afternoon to begin play at the Tampa-hosted tournament in the Martinez Center.
Eckerd's dominance on the front line was in the form of 11 blocks while Christian Brothers countered with five.
The Tritons held the Lady Bucs to just a .082 attacking percentage in the one hour and six-minute match.
Sophomore
Katarina Milojevic led the block party with six while senior
Olivia Fraser was credited with five, including the lone solo rejection. Senior
Alex Laton added four to go with seven kills.
CBU's Alexis Gillis notched a team-high 12 kills, but also was the culprit for nine attacking errors. Setter Kelsey Miles had 25 assists.
The Tritons' lockdown effort on defense set the stage for an efficient offense as CBU hit into 22 errors. McAlvany and company capitalized as junior
Lindsay Biggs added eight kills and Fraser tallied six more.
Eckerd stormed back from an early first-set deficit and went on a 6-0 run to take an 11-9 lead. CBU used its final timeout in the opening frame in the midst of an EC 4-0 run.
The Tritons staved off an 18-18 tie in the second frame as Christian Brothers looked to even things up. A Biggs kill, Biggs service ace and a block, gave EC a late charge to clinch the two-set advantage.
EC nearly duplicated the same scenario in the final set, breaking a 19-19 tie as the Lady Bucs tried to stay alive and force another set.
The Tritons have a busy day scheduled tomorrow with Valdosta State (Ga.) University and No. 22 University of West Florida due up next. Eckerd will face VSU at 11 a.m. before taking on the nationally-ranked Argonauts later in the afternoon at 5:45 p.m.
