ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Eckerd beach volleyball team lost a pair of matches against the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, 4-1 and 3-2, on Tuesday afternoon at the North Shore Courts.
The Tritons battled in the first match, with the No. 3 pairing of Anna Jungjohann and Nicole Perekhodko claiming a victory over UNCW's Ellie Bucci and Tessa Rogers, 23-21 and 21-18. Eckerd's best opportunity for a second win came from the No. 4 slot of Martina Melicherova and Mariana Olivares-Cely, who narrowly lost 21-19 and 21-18. EC lost the remaining three matches in straight sets.
Eckerd made progress in the second match, adding another point but falling, 3-2. Melicherova and Olivares-Cely dropped the opening set of the No. 4 slot, 21-13, but bounced back in the second, 21-19, and captured the win, 15-11, in the third. Nicki Bechtold and Lauren Puckett also took their No. 5 draw to a third-set tie break, taking the first set 21-16, but losing in the second, 21-13, and winning the third set 15-9. Joelle Coulter and Kitana Lim fought out of the No. 1 draw, nearly giving EC the victory, but UNCW won the first set 21-16 and squeaked by for a slim 23-21 second set win to take the point as Eckerd dropped the other two matches in straight sets.
The Tritons (0-6) are on the road for the first time this season for a dual match at Palm Beach Atlantic against PBA and Stevenson on Sunday at 12:00 PM.
Game One
North Carolina-Wilmington 4, Eckerd 1
1. Mattie Johnson/Sadie Sharkey (UNCW) def. Joelle Coulter/Kitana Lim (ECBVB) 21-17, 21-8
2. Grace Sistrunk/Ashley Thompson (UNCW) def. Sophia Romigh/Daniella Russo-Lolas (ECBVB) 21-17, 21-6
3. Anna Jungjohann/Nicole Perekhodko (ECBVB) def. Ellie Bucci/Tessa Rogers (UNCW) 23-21, 21-18
4. Holly Cornelius/Brianna Haggerty (UNCW) def. Martina Melicherova/Mariana Olivares (ECBVB) 21-19, 21-18
5. Tyla Cutrie/Kaley McLaughlin (UNCW) def. Nicki Bechtold/Lauren Puckett (ECBVB) 21-16, 21-14
Game Two
North Carolina-Wilmington 3, Eckerd 2
1. Mattie Johnson/Sadie Sharkey (UNCW) def. Joelle Coulter/Kitana Lim (ECBVB) 21-16, 23-21
2. Grace Sistrunk/Ashley Thompson (UNCW) def. Sophia Romigh/Daniella Russo-Lolas (ECBVB) 21-4, 21-10
3. Ellie Bucci/Tessa Rogers (UNCW) def. Anna Jungjohann/Nicole Perekhodko (ECBVB) 21-14, 21-17
4. Martina Melicherova/Mariana Olivares (ECBVB) def. Holly Cornelius/Brianna Haggerty (UNCW) 21-13, 19-21, 15-11
5. Nicki Bechtold/Lauren Puckett (ECBVB) def. Tyla Cutrie/Kaley McLaughlin (UNCW) 21-16, 13-21, 15-9
