ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sept. 23, 2022) – Despite dropping the first two sets and facing five consecutive match points in the third set, the Rollins volleyball team showed its resilience on Friday night with a 3-2 (23-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-15, 15-12) comeback victory at Eckerd. With the win, the Tars move to 4-9 overall and 2-3 in SSC play, while the Tritons drop to 9-4 overall, 1-4 in conference matches.
Emma Rome led all players with a career-high 15 kills while also hitting .444.
Andie Baldridge notched a double-double with 11 kills and 10 digs, while
Lana Gerard had nine kills, six digs, and a team-high three service aces.
Emma Begley posted a match-leading six blocks (three solo) to go along with eight kills and a .615 attack percentage, while
Adriana Lopez collected a match-high 13 digs.
Natalie Horsley (24 assists, 7 digs) and
Marta Tsaneva (13 assists, 3 digs, 2 service aces) shared the setting duties for the Tars.
Anna Jungjohann led Eckerd with 13 kills and a .476 attack percentage, while also putting down a team-leading five blocks (one solo). Damyah Joyner added 11 kills and Stella Antypa had eight kills, eight digs, and three service aces. Ashley Eck led the Tritons with 10 digs and added three service aces while Krysten Garrison had a match-high 31 assists to go along with four digs and four blocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One
- The Tars took an early 4-2 lead, but Eckerd quickly turned the tide and pulled ahead, 11-6.
- A 6-1 run consisting entirely of Eckerd unforced errors put the Tars back in front, 16-15.
- After the Tritons moved back in front (22-19), Rollins scored three straight kills to tie things up at 22.
- After two sideouts, Eckerd was able to get consecutive kills to close out the set, 25-23.
Set Two
- Set two saw the Tritons go on a 15-3 run to take a commanding 17-5 lead.
- Rollins battled back, using a late 5-1 run to get within one (24-18), but EC took the set, 25-18.
Set Three
- The third set was tight for a majority of the play, but Eckerd used a 6-1 run to go up 21-16, looking to complete the sweep.
- The Tritons earned five match points when they took a 24-19 lead, but the Tars were not rattled.
- A kill by Gerard was followed by two Eckerd errors, and then a Gerard service ace made it 24-23.
- A block from Baldridge and Makayla Moran tied the set at 24, and a Baldridge kill put the Tars on the precipice of completing an improbable set three comeback.
- After a Triton timeout, Gerard stepped to the service line and scored another ace, scoring the seventh straight point for Rollins and clinching the set, 26-24.
Set Four
- Eckerd opened set four on a 3-0 spurt, looking to atone for the set three loss.
- Rollins wasted no time in reasserting itself, however, and before long the Tars found themselves in front, 12-5, following a huge 12-2 run.
- The lead ballooned to 17-7 and the Tars closed out the frame with a 4-0 spurt to win the set convincingly, 25-15.
Set Five
- Rollins used a 4-0 run keyed by two Baldridge kills to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 lead in set five.
- A 5-1 run helped build a cushion, putting the Tars up 13-7.
- Although Eckerd fought back, winning five of the next six points to close the deficit to 14-12, Rome came up with the match-winning kill to secure the 15-12 win and complete the monumental comeback.
UP NEXT:
The Tars will continue their road trip with a visit to Tampa to take on the fifth-ranked Spartans tomorrow at 4 p.m.
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