Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Smiles and words of encouragement were all that could be found from the Eckerd College volleyball team as it stuck out a 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 19-25, 25-17) win over Lynn University at the McArthur Center.
The Tritons (14-8, 5-4 SSC) fell to the Fighting Knights (16-11, 3-6 SSC) in the first round of the conference schedule in four sets but were able to return the favor back at home
on Friday night.
"It's a great way to start the second round of conference," EC Head Coach
Michelle Piantadosi said.
The Fighting Knights jumped out to a 5-1 lead over Eckerd in the first set, but two kills from
Tjasa Kotnik and a Lynn attacking error brought the Tritons back within one. From there it was a battle point-for-point, but the Tritons broke away with set point on a kill from senior
Lindsay Biggs, and junior
Katarina Milojevic cemented the first-set win with a kill.
In the second set, the Tritons rallied from behind after finding itself down, 14-21. A seven-point run -- six of which were on
Ali McAlvany's serve -- tied the match at 21-21, and once again with the match tied at 24-24, a kill by Biggs gave the Tritons set point.
Biggs and Milojevic, the back-to-back winner of SSC Defensive Player of the Week honors, combined for a block assist to clinch the second set.
"The emotions we were all feeling [during that set] were of confidence," Piantadosi said. "We were focused -- not just on the scoreboard -- but just on what we needed to do.
"Ali [McAlvany] focused on hitting her zones on her serve, and it gave us momentum, and our block did some great things," Piantadosi added.
The third set was much like the first, and the Tritons fell to a quick five-point deficit. Although a 7-1 run later in the set gave the Tritons the lead 12-11, the Fighting Knights prevented the sweep with help from freshman Katie Knight who tallied six kills in the set.
After taking the lead early in the fourth set on a Lynn attacking error, 3-2, Eckerd never looked back, and the Tritons rolled to a decisive fourth-set win.
Biggs collected her 11th double-double of the season with 13 kills and 20 digs. She also added three service aces.
McAlvany totaled 12 kills and 10 digs for her seventh double-double on the year, and Milojevic tabbed 10 digs, three block assists and one solo block.
Junior
Grace Jones also added a season-high eight block assists in the win.
The Tritons remain at home
tomorrow as Nova Southeastern University travels to St. Petersburg in a Sunshine State Conference match set to begin at
4 p.m. EST.
