ST. PETERSBURG – The Eckerd volleyball team split a pair of matches on the final day of the Eckerd Classic on Saturday at the McArthur Center. The Tritons fell to Pittsburg State, 3-1 before bouncing back with a straight-set victory over North Greenville.

The opening set against Pitt State featured 17 ties as neither side could create much separation. Eckerd built a 17-14 advantage before Pittsburg State responded to take a 24-21 lead. The Tritons fought off three set points behind back-to-back kills from Jaiden Harris to even the frame at 24. Harris answered again to tie the set at 25 and 26, but the Gorillas claimed the final two points for a 28-26 victory. Pitt State made it a 2-0 lead with a 25-17 win in the second.

Eckerd responded in the third set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead and maintaining control throughout the frame. The Tritons stretched their advantage to 14-8 before a 7-2 run, capped by a Hayden Nash ace, and then pushed the margin to 17-10. Eckerd built its largest lead at 20-11 and held off a late Pittsburg State surge to take the set 25-19. The Tritons hit .256 in the frame while limiting the Gorillas to .104. The Gorillas won their second two-point set in the fourth to clinch the match.

Seiler Hruska paced Eckerd with 17 kills, while Harris added 15 kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Grace Dumont dished out 44 assists to go along with three aces and 10 digs. Sydney Williams led the back row with 20 digs, while Peyton Walker posted four blocks. 

The Tritons responded emphatically in the nightcap, sweeping North Greenville, 25-16, 25-22, and 25-21, to finish the day with a victory and move to 2-2 on the season.

Eckerd controlled the opening set, limiting the Trailblazers to a .000 hitting percentage en route to a 25-16 victory. The Tritons followed with a 25-22 win in the second before producing their best offensive set of the match in the third, putting down 20 kills while hitting .421 to finish the sweep 25-21.

Hruska once again led the attack with 14 kills, while Nash delivered 11 kills without an error on 19 swings for a .579 hitting percentage. Harris added nine kills and 14 digs, while Natalie Aniol chipped in eight kills.

Dumont handed out 44 assists for the second straight match and added 10 digs. Williams and Harris shared the team lead with 14 digs, while Jaelynn Tunley added 11.

The Tritons will head to Pennsylvania next weekend for an invitational hosted by Gannon.