MELBOURNE, Fla. (Volleyball) - On Friday night, Florida Tech (7-9, SSC 2-8) dropped a 3-1 duel to Eckerd (11-6, SSC 4-5) at Clemente Center. After tying the score 1-1, the Panthers missed two consecutive sets and fell to the Tritons.

Junior middle blocker Olivia Hersey led the Crimson and Gray offense for the fourth time this week, tallying a team-best 11 kills, joined by four digs and five blocks.

Freshman outside hitter Tania Kottke and junior setter Kiersten Rosa recorded eight kills and three blocks apiece, with Rosa notching a team-leading .226 hitting percentage. Adding to 28 assists and 20 digs to her performance, the Mims native marked her seventh double-double of the season.

Patrolling the middle of the hardwood, senior blocker Samantha Reeves pitched in with seven kills for a .200 clip, while freshman outside hitter Brianna Garza grabbed six kills. Sophomore defensive specialist Kyra Atkinson ended the night outing with 25 digs, bumping up her seasonal total to 299.

Although the each team defensively yielded eight blocks, Eckerd bested FIT by two kills, as the Panthers recorded 45 over the evening outing. As a team, the Florida Tech hit .100 and registered six service aces.
At the beginning of the match, the Tritons took an opening five-point lead at 8-3, drawing a Florida Tech timeout. From there, FIT relinquished Eckerd's lead and closed the gap at 24-20. However, the Tritons quickly secured the frame, 25-21.

In the second set, Eckerd carried a slim lead early on, but the Crimson and Gray kept pace and exchanged points to keep themselves within a four-point deficit. Soon after, the Melbourne squad turned the game around and reeled off a four-point streak to tie the score 8-8. The teams went on with six more ties and lead changes, but two kills and a service ace fastened the stanza for the Crimson and Gray, 25-23.

Returning from intermission, Eckerd began with an early lead at 6-0. However, the Panthers roared backed and collected six consecutive points to bring the score to 7-6. Making their presence stronger at the net, the Tritons halted a battling FIT offense to a .073 hitting percentage to take the third set, 25-19.

In the fourth set, Eckerd capitalized again in the beginning of the frame, jumping up to an early 6-3 lead. The St. Petersburg lineup managed to maintain a lead the remained of the match, but was challenged consecutively on defense, as Florida Tech's senior setter Nicole Fortuna paced the offense with three straight service aces to close the gap at 18-15. Unable to uphold the offensive momentum, FIT was put back at distance on a four-point run and eventually fell, 25-21.

Next up, the Panthers will square up against No. 25 Saint Leo on Saturday afternoon at the Clemente Center. The first set is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.

For more info, please visit FloridaTechSports.com.