LAKELAND, Fla. - The Eckerd volleyball team was one rally away from upsetting No. 21 Florida Southern on the road in the Sunshine State Conference season opener, but the Mocs stayed alive and eventually prevailed in five sets on Tuesday night.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: No. 21 Florida Southern 3, Eckerd 2 (27-25, 25-27, 25-23, 24-26, 9-15)
Records: Eckerd 5-3 (0-1 SSC), Florida Southern 6-3 (1-0 SSC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Florida Southern held a narrow lead through most of the first set, but a late run by Eckerd forced the set into extra points after an Abbie O'Ferrell kill tied the set at 24-24. The Tritons got to set point twice, finishing it the second time after a combination block by Rachel Wisian and Fernanda Reis preceded an O'Ferrell kill.
- Eckerd fell behind by four points early in set two but quickly erased the deficit to tie the set at 10-10. FSC again pulled ahead by three before the Tritons rolled off four straight points for an 18-17 lead. EC eventually got to set point at 24-22 but this time it was the Moccasins returning the favor from set one, fighting off set point three times and emerging with a 27-25 win to even the match at one set each.
- An early Triton lead in set three evaporated as FSC went up by four points and stayed steady until Eckerd took points on six of seven rallies and took a 21-20 lead. EC controlled the remainder of the set, keeping it from going into extra points for the third time in a row after an O'Ferrell kill secured a 25-23 win.
- Florida Southern jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth set. The Tritons, however, stormed back to take the lead at 15-13 behind three straight O'Ferrell kills and two Fernanda Reis aces during a seven-point run. The EC lead reached three points, but the Mocs rallied to tie the set at 20-20. The Tritons inched ahead to match point at 24-23 but back-to-back Nicole Mattson kills and an Eckerd attack error gave the set to Florida Southern.
- The Mocs used a pair of three-point runs to take a 9-5 lead in the final set, forcing Eckerd into using both of its timeouts. Â A four-point run soon followed and the Tritons couldn't catch up as FSC survived with a 15-9 win in the ultimate set.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Eckerd was looking for its first road win over a ranked team since defeating then-No. 17 Florida Southern in Lakeland, 3-2, on October 3, 2009.
- Both teams struggled at the service line, combining for 29 errors.
- Mattson, the reigning AVCA National Player of the Week, posted 32 kills - nearly half of her team's total.
- O'Ferrell (19 kills, 18 digs) and Paula Hoffmann (18 kills, 17 digs) each had double-doubles. Â Reis nearly joined them with a career-high nine kills and 47 assists.
- Eckerd is 1-2 in five-set matches this season. Both losses came against top 25 teams.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to the McArthur Center to host Saint Leo on Friday at 7:00 PM.Â
