Rollins Rallies for Five-Set Win over Tritons

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd volleyball team saw a 2-0 match lead slip away on Saturday as the Rollins Tars won the final three sets, including a 15-13 win in the fifth, to complete a five-set comeback victory over the Tritons in the McArthur Center.

HOW IT ENDED
Final: Rollins 3, Eckerd 2 (25-10, 25-22, 15-25, 20-25, 13-15)
Records: Eckerd 4-2 (0-2 SSC); Rollins 2-6 (1-3 SSC)
All-Time Series: Rollins leads, 54-23

HOW IT HAPPENED
* Eckerd got off to a blazing start, jumping out to an 11-4 lead in the first set thanks to very efficient hitting.  A run of six straight points behind the service of Fernanda Reis extended the advantage to 19-7, and the lead continued to grow as EC took the set, 25-10.  The Tritons boasted a balanced attack in the set with four players tallying three kills each.
* The second set was tight from the start with 11 ties and five lead changes before Eckerd won five straight points - again behind Reis's service - to take a 20-15 lead.  The Tars managed to fight back and tie the set at 22-22, but the Tritons closed it out for a 2-0 lead after a kill from Madison Whiting and a pair of Rollins attack errors.
* The Tars jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead in the third set and never let up, leading by as many as 11 points.  A run of seven straight points midway through the set put Rollins firmly in control and the Tritons never recovered while hitting just .053 for the set.
* Eckerd took a 7-3 lead early in the fourth set and still led by three points at 13-10 before Rollins tied the score and eventually took a 20-16 lead on the strength of five straight points.  EC pulled back within one (22-21) after two kills and two attack errors, but the Tars won the final four points for a 25-20 win, forcing a decisive fifth set.
* Things look good for Eckerd early in the fifth set after taking an 8-4 lead, but once again Rollins overcame the deficit by winning points on six of the next seven rallies.  The teams then swapped points on four straight side-outs, leaving the Tars with a narrow 12-11 lead.  RC followed with a key block from Bri Civiero and MaryBethany Vincent to go up by two.  Paula Hoffmann broke serve with a kill and did it again after Rollins got to match point, but Civiero closed it out with her 16th kill of the afternoon completing the comeback.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
* The Tritons were fantastic on the attack in the first set, hitting .556 with 16 kills and only one error.  However, errors came back to plague the team for the rest of the match with 27 over the last four sets.  Rollins, meanwhile, committed 18 and out-hit EC, .212 to .206, despite 13 more kills for Eckerd (61 to 48).
* Hoffmann set another career mark in kills with 23 while Kaitlyn Sibson recorded a season-best 26 digs.  Reis assisted on 47 of Eckerd's 61 kills.
* Eckerd served a season-high 11 aces in the loss with three each from Reis, Sibson and Arielle Erillo.

NOTABLE
* Today's match was Eckerd's first this season to go beyond three sets.  Last year, the Tritons were 7-1 in five-set matches.
* Hoffman's 23 kills tied the team's best performance from one year ago when Kali Boatwright had 23 in a four-set loss at Embry-Riddle.
* Reis's 47 assists shattered her previous career-high of 33, set last season.

UP NEXT
Eckerd travels to Lakeland on Tuesday to face Florida Southern at 7:00 PM, the first of three Sunshine State Conference contests for the week.