MELBOURNE, Fla. - Kali Boatwright delivered at the right time while Eckerd's back row defense was solid all night long, helping lead the Tritons to a four-set win over Florida Tech to open a weekend road swing.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 3, Florida Tech 1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-19, 25-21)
Records: Eckerd 11-6 (4-5 SSC); Florida Tech 7-9 (2-8 SSC)
All-Time Series: Eckerd leads, 45-28
HOW IT HAPPENED
* Eckerd took control early in the opening set and led 16-6 but five straight errors cut the lead down to five. The Tritons took eight of the next 10 points - including six in a row - getting to set point with a 24-13 lead. Florida Tech, however, won the next seven points forcing Eckerd to call a timeout. The Panthers extended their run to eight with a kill following the stoppage, but Eckerd finally closed out the set after an attack error by Audrey Keenan gave EC a 25-21 win.
* Eckerd took another early lead in set two at 8-4, but FIT quickly closed the gap. The set was tied nine times before the Tritons looked poised to pull away, taking a 22-20 lead following a
Paula Hoffmann kill and a Panther attack error. However, FIT won the next four points to reach set point. A service error gave Eckerd the chance to force the set into extra points, but the Panthers squared the match after an Olivia Hersey kill gave them a 25-23 win.
* The Tritons raced out to a 6-0 lead in the third set, but it was a short-lived cushion as FIT quickly cut the deficit to 7-6. While Eckerd might have bent, it didn't break. EC never allowed Florida Tech to tie the set and finished by taking points on six of the last eight rallies, pulling away for a 25-19 win.
* Eckerd again jumped out to a big lead in the fourth set, going ahead 10-3 thanks in part to a string of FIT errors. The Tritons remained in control, leading 20-15 before the Panthers made another run rolling off four straight points to pull within one.
Kali Boatwright then took over on the attack for Eckerd, recording two straight kills. On the next rally,
Rachel Cornatzer tapped down an over pass to get EC to match point. After an Eckerd service error resulted in a side-out, Boatwright again came through on the attack putting away her third kill in five rallies to seal the victory for the Tritons.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
* Tonight's win was the 99th in the career of head coach
Michelle Piantadosi-Lima. She needs one more to join Courtney Draper as the only coaches in program history to reach the century mark in wins.
* Both teams played fantastic defense on the back row, combining for 186 digs. Eckerd had 90 digs, second-most this season.
Kaitlyn Sibson led the way with a season-high 33 digs. Sibson now has 1943 digs for her career, closing in on becoming the first player in program history to reach 2000. Boatwright also set a season-high total with 21 digs.
* The Tritons recorded 11 aces, marking the fourth time this season that they have done so.
*
Abbie O'Ferrell posted her third double-double of the season with 13 kills and 14 digs. It was her first double-double since September 2.
* Eckerd is now 3-1 on the road in Sunshine State Conference play.
UP NEXT
The Tritons head up I-95 on Saturday to face off against SSC newcomer Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach at 4:00 PM. The Eagles knocked off No. 25 Saint Leo in four sets earlier tonight.
