TAMPA, Fla. – The Eckerd volleyball team jumped out to an early lead in each set in Friday night's Sunshine State Conference opener at No. 13 Tampa. However, the Spartans responded each time to pull ahead while holding off a Triton rally on the way to a 3-0 win in the Bob Martinez Center.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Tampa 3, Eckerd 0 (23-25, 19-25, 20-25)
Records: Eckerd 7-2 (0-1 SSC), Tampa 5-4 (1-0 SSC)
KEY MOMENTS
- Asya Harris opened the first set with a kill as Eckerd raced out to a 5-1 lead. The Spartans went on a short run to tie the score at 6-6 before the Tritons rolled off three straight points. EC strengthened its lead to 16-10 before Tampa scored four consecutive points to pull within two. Again, Eckerd stretched its lead at 20-16, but Tampa followed with a 7-2 run to take a 23-22 lead. Another Harris kill evened the score at 23-23 before UT took the set, 25-23.
- The Tritons opened the second set with a quick 3-0 lead before the Spartans responded evening the score at 3-3. The rest of the set remained tight with Tampa holding no more than a two-point edge until pulling ahead by five at 21-16. A Spartan error and a Sarah Johnshoy service ace kept Eckerd alive at set point before the Spartans went on to take the set, 25-19.
- An Agata Sklepik kill put EC ahead 5-2 in the third set as Eckerd again opened a set with the lead. Tampa evened the score at 6-6 and the teams traded the lead over the next several rallies. Behind two Johnshoy kills, the Tritons rolled off four straight points to go ahead, 13-10. Tampa then pulled ahead by one at 14-13 following four consecutive points. Over the next stretch, Tampa continued to take a slight lead with Eckerd rallying to even the score five times. A Sklepik kill evened the set at 20-20 for Eckerd before Tampa ended the game with five straight points.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- Sklepik led Eckerd with eight kills while Johnshoy and Rachel Wisian added seven and six kills respectively.
- Luana Rezende led the Triton defense with 13 digs while also posting two aces.
- The Tritons hit .118 as a team, marking their lowest hitting percentage of the season.
- The loss snapped Eckerd's seven-match win streak.
UP NEXT
Eckerd returns to SSC action tomorrow afternoon hosting Florida Southern at 3:00 PM.
