MELBOURNE, FLA. – The Florida Tech Panthers volleyball program was overcome by the Rollins Tars in Techs home opener on Saturday even as Rollins defeated the Panthers 3-1. Chiara Patelli shined for the Panthers with 15 kills and 0 errors in 24 attempts for a .625 hitting percentage in the match which is the best hitting percentage in four sets by anyone in the SSC so far this season.

FINAL: Florida Tech 1, Rollins 3
Records: Florida Tech (4-6, 0-2 SSC) Rollins (6-4, 1-1 SSC)
Locations: Clemente Center | Melbourne, Fla.

STATS OF THE MATCH:

First Set:

• Tech rolled out to a 3-0 lead to start the first set of the match capped off by a kill from María Jesús Muñoz.
• Tied 5-5, Chiara Patelli recorded two kills In a row to put the Panthers ahead 7-5, before Rollins recorded five unanswered points to capture a 10-7 lead.
• Antia Vallecas Rodriguez, Lilian Muszynski, Cordelia Kearns, Ashley Rants and Patelli all recorded kills to help Tech tie the set at 13-13 with assists coming from Courtney Capar, Kenzie Delacher, Jeanne Hassoun, Muñoz and Patelli.
• An attack error from the Tars would allow the Crimson and Gray to regain the lead 17-16.
• Rollins and Florida Tech battled for the final points as both teams would tie at 21 and 22, until the Tars eventually captured the first set 25-23 and took a 1-0 lead over the Panthers in the match.

Second Set:

• Set two started off with Tech taking a 3-1 lead on the Tars, Until Rollins tallied 11 of the next 12 points to gain a 12-5 lead on the Panthers.
• Trying to regain their ground, the Panthers trailing by 11, narrowed their deficit to six with five unanswered points with the help from kills by Muñoz and Kearns and a service ace by Courtney Capar.
• The Tars lead was just too much though as they eventually took the second set 25-17 and go ahead 2-0 on the Panthers in the match.

Third Set:

• The Crimson and Gray started out the third set strong gaining an early 6-1 lead with two kills from Glassgold, and a kill from Patelli.
• As the Panthers lead 12-6, Rollins stormed back with six straight points to tie the set 12-12.
• The Tars later took the lead at 14-13.
• With Tech down by three, 18-15, the Crimson and Gray didn't back down tallying seven of the next eight points to lead 22-19, late in the third set.
• The run was capitalized by two kills from Patelli.
• A service error and attack error by the Tars was enough to give the Panthers the third set win, 25-21 and force a fourth set with Rollins ahead in the match 2-1.

Fourth Set:

• Fourth the fourth time in the match, the Panthers started with a lead, as they would go up 3-0 to start the fourth highlighted by two more kills from Patelli.
• The Tars once again rallied to lead 4-3 and later 9-5.
• Tech tallied four straight points, tying the set 9-9.
• Rollins would eventually jump ahead 12-10 and not lose the lead for the remainder of the match as a two-point Tars lead quickly turned into a five-point lead the Tech trailed 19-15.
• Down by four, the Crimson and Gray couldn't battle back with Rollins capturing five of the final six points to claim the fourth set 26-16 and win the match 3-1.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Rollins leads the all-time series against Florida Tech 34-27 dating back to 1993.
• The Tars outperformed the Panthers in all but one statistical category in which the two teams tied with four blocks each.
• Rollins outperforms Tech in points (78-51), kills (64-45), aces (10-2). Set assists (60-42) and digs (61-57).
• Chiara Patelli was the leading scored for the Panthers, recording 17.5 points from 15 kills, two solo blocks and one set assist. She also had three digs and two set assists in the contest.
• With 15 kills and 0 errors in 24 total attempts, Patelli finished with a .625 hitting percentage. Her total .365 hitting percentage ranks the fifth highest in all of the SSC.
• Kenzie Delacher was the team's set assist leader with 22.
• Both Hassoun and Capar each record one service ace.
• Capar also led the team with 20 digs.
• With 158 digs this season, Capar has the third-highest number of digs in the conference.

UP NEXT:
The Panthers will once again hit the road on Friday, September 22^nd as Tech heads to St. Petersburg where they will faceoff against Eckerd College at 7:00 PM in the McArthur Center.
 
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