WINTER PARK, Fla. – Led by junior outside
hitter Nikki Hartman's 26 kills, the Rollins College
volleyball team finished out the 2008 Rollins College Invitational
with a perfect 4-0 mark to claim the crown, Saturday at Warden
Arena.
After putting away New York Institute of Technology and Flagler,
Friday, the Tars (6-2) defeated Webber International (2-2), 3-0,
before posting a 3-1 victory over University of North Carolina at
Pembroke (2-6) in the night cap.
Helping out Hartman on the offensive attack were outside hitter
Stephanie Nichols and right side hitter Caitlin
Vyborny, who teamed up for 31 kills in the two matches.
Middle blocker Jenny Sherwood provided stout defense with a mark
of nine blocks on the day. Freshman libero Phoebe Corder continued her success in her first
season when she tacked on 56 digs to increase her season total to
176.
After an injury to senior setter Lacey Malarky, the Tars turned to sophomore Erin Wareham to set the pace for Rollins in the
second day of the invitational. Wareham tallied 79 digs with 44
occurring in the four-set victory over the Braves.
The Tars started Saturday against the previous undefeated
Warriors of Webber International with the invitational title on the
line. Rollins held a 10-9 lead in the first set before making a
13-4, which included three kills from Sherwood. The Tars closed
out the frame on a pair of Hartman kills to claim the 25-19
victory.
Rollins maintained its momentum in the second set with a 9-0 run
to increase its lead to 21-8 before capturing the 25-15
victory.
With a 2-0 advantage, the Tars and Warriors played a much closer
final set as they found themselves even at 20. After two errors by
the Warriors, Rollins and WIU traded points, before the Tars put
the finishing touches on with kills from Hartman and Nichols.
To finish its weekend, Rollins needed extra points to put the
Braves of UNC Pembroke away in the first frame, 26-24. After a
28-15 victory in the second set, the Braves earned its revenge with
a 25-20 win in the third. With a 2-1 lead the Tars clinch the
match after a 25-17 final frame.
Against the Braves, the Tars finished with three hitters
reaching double-digits (Sherwood 11, Nichols 13, Hartman 14), while
Sherwood and Nichols had six assisted blocks each. Junior Natalie Branche had the team's second-best
attacking percentage of .278, while Sherwood captured the top spot
hitting .375.
Rollins returns to action when it travels to Savannah, Ga., for
the Chatham Orthopedics Volleyball Classic hosted by
Armstong-Atlantic, Friday, Sept. 12.
