Lions Too Much for Rollins on the Road

SAINT LEO, Fla. (April 10, 2021) – The Tars could not solve the Saint Leo Lions on their trip to the Tampa Bay area, falling 3-0, 25-14, 25-19, and 25-20.  Rollins falls to 0-8 in their spring campaign, while Lions end their abbreviated season at 2-3.
 
Marlee Johnson led the way for Rollins, registering eight kills.  While Abby Tutor amassed seven kills and hit at 50 percent.  Rebecca Kuehn registered 23 assists.  Tutor also paced Rollins with three blocks, while Candace Doxey added a pair.
 
Saint Leo were led by Michelle Cuervo's ten kills. Anna Garrett totaled 25 assists, while Skylar Singleton added another 12.  The Lions each tallied a team high two blocks.
 
The Lions capitalized on four Rollins errors to jump out to an early 10-3 lead in set number one.  After a timeout, Rollins pulled to within five, at 10-5.  But the Tars could not add onto their back-to-back points. The Lions won the next four points, before an Emily Diaz kill put an end to the run.  The two teams traded points, until the Tars won three straight volleys, making the score 23-13, but the hole was too deep, and Saint Leo took the first set, 25-14.
 
Rollins and Saint Leo battled back-and-forth in the beginning of the second set.  Rollins led 4-2, and 6-5, on an Emma Begley kill, but the Tars could not sustain the form.  Saint Leo went on streaks of three, three, and five points to take a 16-8 lead.  After a timeout the Tars would narrow the gap to five with a Marlee Johnson kill, making the score 18-13.  Rollins responded after another Lion streak with a late, three score, stretch of their own.  Kills by Abbie Tutor, Candace Doxey, and a Rebecca Kuehn ace made the score 23-19, but the four-score difference was as close as the Tars could get.
 
The third set saw both teams make runs.  The Lions jumped out to a 7-2 advantage, but a kill by Tutor would cap a Rollins comeback that made the score 10-9 in favor of Saint Leo.  The Lions responded with five straight points, but Rollins held close with three consecutive scores of their own.  The two teams would trade points down the stretch, and the Tars got within four, at 24-20, but again, it was too late, as the Lions took the third 25-20, sealing the Tars' fate.
 
UP NEXT:
Rollins will close out the home portion of their spring schedule on Friday, April 16, against Florida Southern.  First serve is set for 7 p.m.
 
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