SEARCY, Ark. – Despite a 17-kill
performance from junior Nikki
Hartman, the Rollins volleyball team was defeated by Harding
University, 3-1 (25-14, 26-28, 27-25, 25-17), in Saturday
afternoon's non-conference action at Rhodes Field House.
The Tars (16-12) collected 49 kills in the match with senior Stephanie
Nichols following Hartman' 17 with 10 kills. Chipping in with
39 assists was sophomore setter Erin
Wareham.
The Lady Bison (18-7) responded with 71 kills, 24 from Manuela
Nesheva to record the match-high. Three other players recorded
double-digit kills effort to pace the team with a .238 attacking
percentage.
Defensively, Rollins tallied 86 digs, led by Sunshine State
Conference leader Phoebe
Corder, who averaged over eight digs per set. Hartman wasn't
too far behind with 19 digs, while Nichols trailed with a
double-double along with Hartman with 10.
In the first set, the Tars couldn't get any momentum going as
they quickly found themselves in a hole by as many as 12 points.
Being limited to a .162 hitting percentage in the first frame,
Rollins was unable to cut into the Harding lead, dropping the first
set, 25-14.
Rollins responded in the second set with a 28-26 victory. After
building a 7-1 lead, the Tars saw their led slip away as the match
was tied at nine. The tide would turn and Harding captured a
three-point on a few attacking errors from Rollins. However, the
Tars did not go away as they came back tying the set at 22 with a
right side kill from Caitlin
Vyborny. Rollins and Harding would go back-and-forth with
neither team taking a lead larger than a point until an ace from
freshman Grace
MacLean preceded a Harding attacking error to secure the
frame.
With the match tied at one, Rollins nearly mounted one of its
greatest comebacks of the season when it trailed 23-16. After
scoring eight-straight points, the Tars had an opportunity to take
the lead in the match, but back-to-back kills from Nesheva earned
the victory for the Lady Bison.
Harding went on the final stanza to claim the 25-17 victory
after hitting .310.
Rollins returns to conference action when it hosts Barry, Friday
Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.
