WINTER PARK, Fla.- The Rollins volleyball team
held the Florida Tech Panthers to a .071 attacking percentage
behind 12 blocks, six from freshman middle blocker Lora
Lieb as the Tars cruised to a 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-12, 25-21)
victory in the series sweep, Wednesday evening at Warden Arena.
Rollins (18-18, 3-12 Sunshine State Conference) finished with
three players in double-digit digs led by the single-season leader
Phoebe
Corder's 20. She increased her season total to 679. Outside
hitters Stephanie
Nichols and Nikki
Hartman added 15 and 14 respectively to limit the Panther's
(40-14, 4-12 SSC) attack. A native from Lake Mary, Fla., Nichols
is the sixth player in school history to record at least 1,000
kills and digs in a career. She has 1,253 kills and 1,021 digs in
her four years at Rollins.
Sophomore middle blocker Jenny
Sherwood followed Lieb's six digs with five, while Hartman
assisted on four others.
Offensively, Hartman tallied 16 kills to continue her impressive
season as she increases her season total to 485. Currently, she
resides in sixth place on the single-season list. Lieb capped off
her performance with five kills and an attacking percentage of
.500.
Rollins raced out to a great start capturing the first set
25-23. After falling behind early, the Tars fought their way back
into the set, tying the match at 12. A 4-0 run gave Rollins its
first lead of the match. The Tars extended the lead to a set-high
five points at 20-15 after a cross-court shot from Hartman.
The Panthers squandered back scoring three more points
culminated by a service ace from Shelby DeNeice. Tied at 20, the
Tars went to its senior setter, Lacey
Malarky, who opted for a quick attack to regain the lead.
After another Hartman kill, Florida Tech capitalized on a service
error and a ball handling error to tie the match again at 22.
Rollins fared better on the ensuing two points as the Panthers
returned with two errors. After a failed set-point opportunity,
Rollins closed out the frame with a smash from Hartman on a Corder
assist.
FIT earned the equalizer in the second set as Rollins hit under
.200, the only time in the match. The Panthers relied on outside
hitter Frankie Brown in the second stanza who blasted six kills
with a .417 attacking percentage.
In the third frame, Rollins exploded holding the Panthers to a
negative .133 (4K 8E 30TA) hitting percentage. Tied at seven, a
Nichols killed started a 9-1 run with a kill. After an attacking
error, Rollins led 16-11, but again went on an 8-0 run to lead
24-11. Corder put the set away with a dig that was uncontrolled by
Florida Tech giving the Buda, Texas, native her only kill of the
evening.
In the final set, the Panthers hit another negative percentage.
However, FIT built its largest lead of the match of five points at
15-10, before Rollins made its run. After scoring seven out the
next nine points, the teams were deadlocked. After a service error
succeeded an ace, the teams were again even. Rollins took the lead
at 19-18 after a Lieb kill and would not relinquish it the rest of
the way. Hartman secured the victory for Rollins with two kills in
the final three points.
Rollins defeated the Panthers in the opener back on Oct. 12 in
a 3-2 win to claim the series, 2-0.
The Tars are back in action, Saturday, Nov. 15 in its home
finale at 7 p.m. against Nova Southeastern. Senior Day festivities
are set to begin at 6:45 p.m.
