DELAND, Fla. - A short-handed Eckerd beach volleyball team had its hands full on the opening day of the 2019 season, facing a pair of nationally ranked teams on the first day of the Stetson Spring Fling.
Eckerd fell in the opening match to No. 13 Georgia State, 5-0, and lost by the same score to No. 10 Florida International.
The Tritons (0-2) already started the day at a disadvantage, fielding pairs at four of the five positions against Georgia State. Â Eckerd took an automatic loss at the No. 5 draw to go down 1-0, but looked strong at the first two draws against the 13th-ranked Panthers.
Paula Hoffmann and
Arielle Erillo won the first set from Eden Hawes and Georgia Johnson at the No. 1 draw, 24-22, but narrowly lost the second set, 21-18, to force a third. Hawes and Johnson jumped ahead early in that ultimate set while Eckerd's duo couldn't make up the ground, falling 15-5.
Stephanie Bogda and
Rebekah Machovec were narrowly edged at the No. 2 position in the first set, 22-20. GSU's tandem of Kelly Dorn and Brooke Weiner then won the second set, 21-14, completing the sweep.
Against FIU, the Tritons started down 2-0 after Erillo was unable to play. Â Hoffmann and Bogda teamed together at the No. 2 draw where they were edged in the first set, 21-19, before losing the second, 21-10. Â The 10th-ranked Panthers won the other two contests in straight sets as well.
Eckerd is back in action tomorrow, taking on Saint Leo and No. 17 Stetson to wrap up opening weekend.
BOX SCORES: EC vs. Georgia State |
EC vs. Florida International
