Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. – A pair of red-hot Sunshine State Conference programs were on a collision course in the Martinez Center on Friday night as second-ranked University of Tampa eventually outlasted the Eckerd College volleyball team, 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-16, 25-16).
Entering tonight winners of seven straight dating back to Oct. 18, the Tritons (16-9, 7-5 SSC) had their season-best win streak halted despite a match-high 23 kills from junior
Ali McAlvany.
Senior
Lindsay Biggs posted 14 kills and as many digs, senior setter
Madison Burr dished out 23 assists while sophomore setter
Emily Schadow handed out 18 more assists and served up a pair of aces.
Berkeley Whaley led a trio of Tampa offensive weapons in double-digit kill figures with 21. All-American outside hittier Holly Reschke contributed 13 and middle Marissa Lisenbee came through with 12.
UT put up a total of 11 team blocks, including eight by middle Jessica Wagner and five more from Whaley.
The Spartans (24-1, 11-0 SSC) remained unbeaten in the Sunshine State Conference schedule as the South Region's No. 1-ranked team collected their 17th consecutive victory. Tampa also claimed the regular-season sweep against the Tritons after posting a similar 3-1 decision on Oct. 5.
But just like the first meeting in the McArthur Center, Eckerd was able to claim one set against the Spartans, just one of eight teams against UT to do so this season.
Eckerd faced an eight-point margin of deficit following several sideouts in the first set but stormed back on the strength of an 8-2 run. With the Tritons down by manageable 23-21 and 24-22 scores, the Spartans eventually put away set point on one of six kills in the opening game by Whaley.
The Tritons settled down and started the second set on a 7-3 run, but the Spartans tied it up against at 9-9 after using their first timeout.
Numerous ties and lead changes unfolded before Biggs walked a crosscourt attack across the net for a 20-19 lead. After the score was knotted up at 21-21 again, Piantadosi called a timeout and McAlvany promptly smashed one down the line as play resumed as the Tritons seized control.
Tampa burned its final timeout down 23-21 and a pair of back-to-back Whaley attacking errors clinched the second set and tied things up.
The Spartans burst out with an 8-2 run in the third set and led by a 17-7 score. Eckerd assembled a 5-0 run to make Tampa sweat before putting away the go-ahead game as the Spartans hit to the tune of a .500 percentage.
Tampa sustained the momentum and came out on a 12-3 streak in the fourth frame to force the final decision.
Eckerd now dials its focus for a quick turnaround road visit to Winter Park tomorrow afternoon to face rival Rollins College for the second time this season. The Tritons and Tars will get underway at 4 p.m.
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