ST. PETERSBURG – The Eckerd volleyball team pushed No. 9 Lynn to the brink in several tightly contested sets, but the Fighting Knights escaped with a 3-1 victory (25-23, 25-21, 26-28, 25-18) on Saturday afternoon at the McArthur Center.
The opening set featured a back-and-forth battle as Eckerd jumped ahead 9-5 behind a strong service stretch from Lilli Weber and an ace by Seiler Hruska. Lynn rallied to even the frame at 11 before the teams continued trading points. The Tritons erased a 19-17 deficit with a block by Peyton Walker and Jaiden Harris, then pulled even again at 20-20 on a Walker kill. Trailing 23-21, Hayden Nash and Kaitlyn Dohs delivered consecutive kills to tie the frame at 23. Lynn answered with the final two points to take the opener, 25-23.
The second set remained competitive throughout, with neither team establishing much separation early. Eckerd overcame an 8-5 deficit with a service ace from Weber and a block by Natalie Aniol and Walker to level the score at eight. The teams traded points through an 11-11 tie before Lynn gained a narrow advantage. The Tritons remained within striking distance, trimming the deficit to 17-16 on a Walker kill and later pulling within two at 23-21 on another Walker finish. Lynn claimed the final two points for a 25-21 victory and a 2-0 match lead.
Eckerd responded with its strongest offensive performance of the afternoon in the third set, hitting .319 with 18 kills. The Tritons raced to an early 4-1 advantage before Lynn battled back. Eckerd maintained a narrow lead through much of the frame, taking a 15-12 advantage behind consecutive kills from Aniol and Jaelynn Tunley. The Fighting Knights tied the score at 16, but the Tritons answered and eventually built a 23-19 lead following two Tunley kills and a Nash finish. Lynn responded with five consecutive points to take a 24-23 advantage and hold match point, but a Lynn error and Nash killed but Eckerd back on top 25-24. With the score tied at 26, Hruska put Eckerd ahead before a another attack error sealed the 28-26 victory.
The fourth set opened with another tightly-contested stretch as Sydney Williams delivered an early ace to put the Tritons ahead 4-3. The teams traded points through a 5-5 tie before Lynn began to create separation. The Fighting Knights built a 12-7 advantage, but Eckerd continued battling, using a three-point run highlighted by a Nash kill and two blocks involving Nash to pull within 18-15. Lynn answered with a late surge to close out the set and secure the match.
Nash paced the Tritons with 13 kills on a .290 hitting percentage, while Walker and Tunley added 10 kills apiece. Walker hit .500 while also adding seven blocks.
Weber directed the offense with 39 assists and 12 digs, while Williams anchored the defense with a match-high 19 digs and two service aces. Tunley also collected 12 digs.
Eckerd will be back in action Tuesday at Florida Southern.
