ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd Triton volleyball team returns to the McArthur Center this weekend to host two Sunshine State Conference matches taking on No. 6 Florida Southern on Friday at 7:00 PM and Florida Tech on Saturday at 4:00 PM.
COVERAGE: Live Stats |
Live VideoSETTING THE STAGEThe Tritons (5-6, 0-3) will look to snap a five-game skid but will have their hands full against a very good Florida Southern (12-0, 3-0) team that has yet to lose a match this season. The sixth-ranked Mocs have only dropped four sets all season, winning all three of their SSC matches so far in straight sets.
On Saturday, Eckerd welcomes Florida Tech (7-3, 2-1), a team coming off two straight-sets wins in conference play this month. A much-improved team, the Panthers have already nearly matched last season's win total (10).
LAST TIME THEY METFlorida Southern got seven kills apiece from Kendall Marotti and Kate Stromberg on its way to a straight-sets win over Eckerd (25-16, 25-20, 25-23) in Lakeland on November 1, 2014.
Lauryn Nelson led the way for the Triton attack with nine kills while
Kaitlyn Sibson had 17 digs. The Mocs were ranked No. 17 in NCAA Division II at the time of the contest.
Florida Tech took a five-set win over Eckerd in Melbourne on November 15, 2014, in their final match of the season. The Tritons took the first two sets before dropping the final three. Alea Hamm led FIT with 15 kills while
Tjasa Kotnik had 21 kills for the Tritons. EC won the first meeting last season in straight sets.
INSIDE THE SERIESvs. Florida Southern: Florida Southern leads the all-time series over Eckerd, 59-8. The Tritons last defeated the Mocs in 2013 when EC won both regular-season meetings in straight sets.
vs. Florida Tech: Eckerd leads the all-time series, 42-26. Before Florida Tech's win to close the 2014 season, the Tritons had won eight straight in the series.
ABOUT THE MOCS- Florida Southern is off to its best start to a season since 1990, when the team won its first 32 matches. This year marks the third time in program history that the Mocs have opened a season with 12 straight wins.
- The Mocs jumped three spots to No. 6 in this week's AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 poll and received five first-place votes. It's the highest ranking for the team since reaching No. 6 in 2008.
- Senior right-side hitter Kendall Marotti was named the SSC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. She is one of three dangerous attack options for FSC, averaging 2.95 kills per set. Anna Tovo leads the team with 3.11 kills per set while Kayshia Brady averages 2.62 per set. Brindl Langley adds more balance to the attack with 2.10 kills per set.
- The Mocs lead the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.061) and service aces (80). They also rank second in the conference in hitting percentage (.253).
ABOUT THE PANTHERS- Perhaps no team in conference boasts a more balanced attack than does Florida Tech. Five players average better than 2.1 kills per set led by Kim Juriga's 2.47. Alea Hamm (2.41), Jenna Schaffer (2.36), Olivia Hersey (2.26) and Marilyn Dick (2.12) round out the Panther offense.
- FIT also has one of the best defenses in the conference, trailing only Florida Southern in opponent hitting percentage as the Panthers limit their opposition to converting kills on just 10.1 percent of their attacks.
- The Panthers have won two of their last three matches in conference play, both in straight sets with sweeps of Rollins and Lynn at home. This weekend marks their first road series of conference play as they visit Saint Leo on Friday followed by Eckerd on Saturday.
ABOUT THE TRITONS- After opening the season with a 5-1 record, the Tritons have lost five straight matches. Last weekend saw two narrow losses including a five-set defeat at Barry University. Injuries have taken a toll on the Tritons, who are missing three hitters that were expected to see significant time.
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Tjasa Kotnik has been a force for the Tritons on offense, leading the team and the conference in kills with 4.22 per set. She's posted double-digits in kills in 10 of EC's 11 matches this season with a career-high 25 against Oklahoma Baptist on September 5. She currently ranks seventh in NCAA Division II in points per set with 5.00.
- Eckerd has gone to five sets three times this season, coming out on the wrong side of each of those contests. The Tritons have scored all five of their wins this year in straight sets.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (Stat, Conference Rank)KILLS/SET: EC - Kotnik (4.22, 1st); FSC - Tovo (3.11, 8th); FIT - Juriga (2.47, 18th)
HITTING %: EC - Kotnik (.266, 16th); FSC - Brady (.367, 2nd); FIT - Hersey (.303, 7th)
ASSISTS/SET: EC - Schadow (6.68, 7th); FSC - Besancenez (6.73, 6th); FIT - Truesdale (7.77, 5th)
DIGS/SET: EC - Sibson (4.66, 4th); FSC - Joyce (3.18, 10th); FIT - Bower (4.40, 6th)
TOTAL ACES: EC - Kotnik (18, 3rd); FSC - Marotti (19, 2nd); FIT - Truesdale (18, 3rd)
TOTAL BLOCKS: EC - Baker (42, 4th); FSC - Geary (42, 4th); FIT - Hamm (42, 4th)
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