LAKELAND, Fla. - The Eckerd volleyball team had its chances in the opening round of the NCAA South Regional Tournament on Thursday against No. 9 Palm Beach Atlantic, but couldn't get past the Sailfish in a four-set loss at Florida Southern's Jenkins Fieldhouse.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Palm Beach Atlantic 3, Eckerd 1 (23-25, 26-28, 25-19, 21-25)
Records: Palm Beach Atlantic 26-3; Eckerd 17-12
All-Time Series: Tied, 21-21
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After Eckerd took the first two points of the opening set, Palm Beach Atlantic rolled off five in a row. The Sailfish later grew the lead to four points, the largest margin of the set. The Tritons remained unshaken and pulled with one point on several occasions before finally tying the set at 17-17 on a Paula Hoffmann kill from the back row. Eckerd tied the set three more times, the last coming at 22-22, but PBA got a sideout followed by a kill on the second touch by setter Molly Burkhardt to reach set point. Eckerd stayed alive for another point on a Sailfish error but, despite stellar defense during the rally, the Sailfish put away the winning point to take the opening set.
- The Tritons raced out to an 8-3 lead in the second set; however, it was a short-lived advantage as the Sailfish battled back to tie the set at 10-10. Eckerd answered with kills from Hoffmann, Stephanie Karolvics and Mackenzie Redner on consecutive rallies for a 13-10 lead before PBA again tied the set. After four straight sideouts, the Sailfish took their first lead of the set at 18-17. EC once again came back with three straight kills - this time from Madison Whiting, Hoffmann and Abbie O'Ferrell - taking a 20-18 lead and forcing PBA to call timeout. After a Kali Boatwright ace made it 21-18, the Sailfish trimmed the lead to 22-21. A Redner kill and block by Fernanda Reis and Payton Meader put Eckerd at set point before the Sailfish took the next three points to stay alive. The Tritons reached set point twice more but couldn't put it away as Palm Beach Atlantic won the final three points of the set for a 28-26 win.
- The third set was tight from the onset until four straight points gave Eckerd an 11-8 lead. The Sailfish won four of the next five rallies to tie the set at 12-12. Seven straight sideouts followed before Eckerd inched ahead again at 18-15. PBA managed to get within a point at 19-18, but Eckerd finished by winning six of the last seven points - including the last four - and stayed alive with a 25-19 win.
- Palm Beach Atlantic pulled ahead early in the fourth set, 10-7, but the Tritons rallied to tie it at 12-12. The teams then swapped points on 10 straight sideouts before a Sailfish attack error gave EC an 18-17 lead. Palm Beach Atlantic took the next three points, forcing an Eckerd timeout. The Tritons immediately tied the set out of the stoppage at 20-20, but PBA claimed five of the final six points - three coming from blocks - to close out the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The loss brought an end to the careers of Eckerd's five seniors: Kaitlyn Sibson, Mackenzie Redner, Madison Whiting, Kali Boatwright and Stephanie Karlovics. Redner (13 kills), Whiting (12 kills) and Karlovics (9 kills, .600 attack percentage) all posted outstanding offensive performances in their final collegiate match. Boatwright played solid defense with 13 digs in her final contest.
- Sibson closed her four years at Eckerd having rewritten the team record books for digs. With 20 digs in today's match, she tallied 2171 for her career - by far the most in program history.
- Eckerd put away more kills than did Palm Beach Atlantic, 58-52, and outhit the Sailfish .215 to .200.
- Paula Hoffmann capped an impressive freshman season with her 12th double-double of the season (18 kills, 10 digs).
- The trip to the regional tournament was the ninth in Eckerd history.
QUOTABLE (Postgame Press Conference)
"Every single player on the team is so invested, so committed, so dedicated that even when we were faced with adversity [during the season], we just kept adjusting and finally found a flow and chemistry we were able to run with." - EC head coach
Michelle Piantadosi-Lima, on how her team overcame a series of injuries during the year.
"They're leaving this team better than they found it. It's an impact that will last even after they're gone. Each one of them has shown the younger players what it takes to be great in this conference." - Piantadosi-Lima, on her team's five seniors.
