VALDOSTA, Ga. (Sept. 6, 2024) – The Rollins volleyball team opened the 2024 season with two victories at the Valdosta State Tournament, knocking off Winston-Salem State in three sets before surviving a five-set thriller with Erskine in the nightcap.
Rollins 3, Winston-Salem State 0
The Tars started the day with a dominant performance, defeating the Rams 3-0 (25-17, 25-16, 25-18), while outhitting them .265 to .011.
Jadyn Troutman led all players with 10 kills and hit .571, while
Emma Gongora added nine kills and hit .444.
Lana Gerard chipped in with eight kills, 11 digs, and two blocks (two solo).
Adriana Lopez had a match-high 26 digs and
Natalie Horsley distributed a match-leading 23 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One
- Rollins fell behind 4-2 early before rattling off nine straight points, including four kills from Gongora, to take a commanding 11-4 lead.
- The Rams got back to within three (17-14), but the Tars closed out the set on an 8-3 run to win the frame, 25-17.
Set Two
- Set two saw Winston-Salem State take an early lead again, this time by a 6-2 score, before a 9-1 burst lifted the Blue and Gold to an 11-7 advantage.
- The Tars again closed out the set with authority, winning nine of the final 12 points to win 25-16.
Set Three
- Rollins got off to a better start in the third, taking an early 6-3 lead, which it would never relinquish.
- A 6-0 spurt pushed the margin to 15-7, and the Tars never looked back, taking the set by a 25-18 score to clinch the 3-0 sweep.
Rollins 3, Erskine 2
In the nightcap, Rollins fought off a pesky Erskine team to claim a 3-2 (25-18, 22-25, 25-14, 25-27, 15-8) win to go to 2-0. The loss dropped the Flying Fleet to 0-2. Gongora led the way offensively with a match-leading 19 kills, while Troutman contributed 15 kills and hit a match-best .650. Gerard added nine kills, 13 digs, and a match-best six service aces, while
Marta Tsaneva tallied nine kills as well. Horsley again led all players with 53 assists, while also adding four kills, four digs, and two service aces, while Lopez and
Jenna Garza each racked up a team-high 14 digs.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One
- Rollins took an early 5-1 lead and quickly pushed it to a 13-4 advantage.
- Erskine chipped away at the deficit, but the Tars maintained a cushion of at least five points the rest of the way, eventually taking the frame, 25-18.
Set Two
- Set two saw the Flying Fleet get the better start, jumping out to an 8-4 lead early.
- The Blue and Gold got within one at 9-8, and a few points later drew even at 13-13.
- Rollins couldn't get the point it needed to take the lead, though the set was tied on six separate occasions, including as late as 20-20.
- Erskine then scored four straight points and would go on to take the set, 25-22, knotting the match at a set apiece.
Set Three
- In the third frame, the Tars came storming out of the gates to win nine of the first 11 points.
- Rollins continued to push, extending its lead to double-digits at 16-6 and cruising to a 25-14 victory to go up 2-1 in the match.
Set Four
- The Blue and Gold started well in the fourth set, winning four of the first five points and maintaining a lead through the opening stages, leading by an 11-6 score at one point.
- Erskine fought back to take a 14-13 lead, but the Tars kept it close, eventually retaking the lead at 21-20.
- The Flying Fleet scored back-to-back points to earn set point at 24-23, but a Troutman kill kept the Tars in it, and an Erskine error then gave Rollins match point at 25-24.
- Erskine was able to rally, scoring the next three points to steal the set, 27-25, sending the match to a decisive fifth frame.
Set Five
- Erskine rode the wave of momentum from its come-from-behind set four win to take a 4-1 lead in the fifth, but Rollins showed its poise and quickly tied the set at four.
- After a block gave the Flying Fleet a 5-4 edge, the Blue and Gold strung together six consecutive points to take command of the set with a 10-5 lead.
- Erskine stopped the run with two straight points, but the Tars closed out the match by winning five of the final six rallies, taking the set by a score of 15-8 to win the match, three sets to two.
UP NEXT:
The Tars will return to the court tomorrow as they conclude the Valdosta State Tournament with two more matches, beginning with an 11:30 a.m. contest against the host Blazers, followed by a 4:30 p.m. match against Converse.
Fans can follow the Tars all season long at RollinsSports.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest #TARnation news by following Rollins Sports on
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