WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 31, 2012) - The No.
22 Rollins Tars opened up the 2012 season with a split on day one
of the 2012 Rollins Invitational. The Tars downed the Kentucky
State Thorobrettes, 3-0, and suffered a 3-0 loss to the California
(Pa.) Vulcans.
Rollins opened up the day with a match-up against Kentucky State
and made quick work of their opponent. The Tars recorded scores of
25-11, 25-9 and 25-6. Megan
Hodges and Jill
Lau each posted a game-high six kills. Hodges also recorded a
career-high 10 service aces.
In the first set, the Tars scored 11 straight points, their
longest rally of the set, to capture the 25-11 win. In the
beginning of the second set, Rollins rattled off five straight
points before Kentucky State was able to chalk up a score. Rollins
then scored another eight consecutive points to take a 13-2 lead.
A kill by Jill
Lau secured the 25-9 victory. In the final set of the match,
the Tars made even quicker work of their opponent as they held the
Thorobrettes to six points.
In the nightcap of the Rollins Invitational, the Tars faced some
tougher competition in the California (Pa.) Vulcans. Rollins
suffered scores of 25-11, 25-14 and 25-17.
In the first set, Rollins evened the score at 3-3 on a kill by
Caitlin
Hopkins. California (Pa.) then rattled off 10 straight points
to extend their lead to 13-3 and never looked back. A serving
error by Megan
Hodges handed the Vulcans the 25-11 win.
Rollins found themselves trailing again in the following set but
managed to get within one in the early going, 5-4, on a kill by Collyn
Welsch. The Vulcans continued to extend their lead throughout
the set and took a 25-14 win.
In the third set of the match, the No. 22 Tars started off
strong, scoring as they went on a5-1 run. California (Pa.) slowly
chipped away at the lead and eventually tied the score at 6-6 on a
Rollins defensive miscue. The score tied on one more occasion
before the Vulcans pulled away. A kill by Hopkins brought the Tars
within two at the 12-10 mark but were never able to close the gap.
The Vulcans secured the win on a 25-17 win.
Hodges registered a season-high 11 kills and hit a match-high
.321. The Orlando native was a dig shy of her first double-double
of the season as she tallied nine digs. Freshman April
Jackson collected 14 assists while defensively, Christina
Carracino led the squad with 10 digs.
The No. 22 Rollins Tars will wrap up the 2012 Rollins
Invitational on Saturday, September 1 with a 12:40 p.m. match-up
against the Pace Setters followed with an 8 p.m. showdown against
the MSU Moorhead Dragons.
