HOOVER, Ala. - The Eckerd volleyball team knocked off a nationally-ranked opponent in its opening match on Saturday, then completed a perfect weekend at the South Region Crossover for the second time in the last three years with wins over No. 23 West Florida and Lee (Tenn.).
HOW IT ENDED (Game 1)
Final: Eckerd 3, No. 23 West Florida 2 (20-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 15-10)
Records: Eckerd 9-5; West Florida 17-5
All-Time Series: West Florida leads, 8-5
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. West Florida)
* After falling behind, 10-6, in the first set, the Tritons fought back to take a 16-14 lead after taking points on eight of 10 rallies behind a balanced attack. However, the Argonauts responded with two four-point runs and held the lead for the remainder of the set. Eckerd got back within four points but dropped the opener, 25-20.
* The Tritons stayed close early in the second set before the Argos began to pull away. A four-point run gave UWF an 18-12 lead which soon expanded to 22-14. Eckerd made a late attempt at a comeback, winning five of the next six points, but UWF used a kill from Nadine Williams and an EC attack error to take a 2-0 lead.
* Eckerd won points on seven of eight rallies early in set three to take an 11-5 lead. West Florida cut the deficit to three before the Tritons' lead grew to 22-14. UWF, however, came roaring back with six straight points to force an Eckerd timeout. The stoppage in play slowed the Argos' momentum, as a
Payton Meader kill resulted in a side-out.
Madison Whiting's solo block and
Mackenzie Redner's kill the followed gave Eckerd the set victory, 25-21.
* Riding the energy of the previous set, Eckerd blazed out to a 5-0 lead in the fourth set. After UWF narrowed the gap to one point, the Tritons again extended their lead to five at 17-12. West Florida rolled off three straight points to trail by two, but another Redner kill and back-to-back aces by
Fernanda Reis pushed the lead to five once more. The Argos didn't have an answer as EC forced a decisive fifth set.
* After UWF went ahead 3-2 in the fifth set, Eckerd put together a pair of three-point runs for an 8-4 lead. Three straight Jordyn Poppen kills pulled the Argos within a point, but they couldn't tie the set. EC responded with its third three-point run of the set, leaving the deficit too large for West Florida to overcome. Redner's 14th kill of the match punctuated the win as the Tritons completed the comeback with a 15-10 set victory.
HOW IT ENDED (Game 2)
Final: Eckerd 3, Lee 1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-16)
Records: Eckerd 10-5, Lee 13-6
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 2-1
HOW IT HAPPENED (vs. Lee)
* The Tritons fell behind by five points early (9-4) and played catch-up for much of the set. EC managed to get within a point of Lee on five occasions before tying the set at 18-18 on a Redner kill and, after a side-out for Lee, took a 20-19 lead after another kill by Redner and a Lee ball-handling error. The Flames took the next three points before EC again tied the set (22-22) behind kills from
Abbie O'Ferrell and Redner. However, Lee won the next three points to take a 25-22 win.
* The Flames again jumped ahead early in the second set, but a run of five straight points by Eckerd shifted momentum for a 12-9 Triton lead. Lee later fought back to tie the set at 18-18 but never went ahead.
Stephanie Karlovics broke the tie with a kill and Eckerd led the rest of the way, though it remained close. A kill by
Kali Boatwright ended the set and kept Lee from forcing it into extra points as EC evened the match at one set apiece.
* The Tritons again created separation midway through the third set, this time rolling off six straight points for a 13-6 lead while disrupting the Flames' attack forcing four errors in the span. A Redner kill and three more LU attack errors extended the lead to 18-9 as the Tritons cruised to a 25-18 set win.
* The fourth set was more of the same for Eckerd. A four-point run followed by a six-point run gave EC a 17-9 lead. The Flames only managed to get within five points of the Tritons for the remainder of the set. Eckerd polished off the four-set win with three straight points, capped by a Boatwright kill.
NOTABLE
* Today marked the second straight year that Eckerd defeated West Florida in five sets at the South Region Crossover. EC also snapped the Argos' 14-match winning streak with today's victory.
* Redner set a new career-high in kills with 20 against Lee. She had a total of 45 kills during the weekend, an average of 3.46 per set.
* Today's wins marked the 97th and 98th of head coach
Michelle Piantadosi-Lima's career. With two more wins, she joins Courtney Draper as the only coaches in program history to reach the century mark.
* Eckerd went 3-0 at the South Region Crossover for the second time in the last three years. The Tritons also did it in 2015.
*
Kaitlyn Sibson had a season-high 28 digs against Lee. Reis also set a new career-high in assists with 53 and was named to the all-tournament team.
* The SSC went 23-10 over the weekend against Gulf South Conference opponents.
QUOTABLE
"We are proud of the team coming out 3-0 this weekend. Each game, we had to make adjustments with personnel and each time we had different people step up which enabled us to come out with the win. Our defense led by
Kaitlyn Sibson was a consistent factor in each win. The team grinded and found a way to win, and that fight is what we are most proud of." - EC head coach
Michelle Piantadosi-Lima
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to the McArthur Center on Tuesday for Sunshine State Conference play, hosting the University of Tampa at 7:00 PM.
