ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – The Florida Panthers volleyball team faced off against Eckerd on the who is receiving votes in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) coaches' poll. Tech came up short losing in three straight sets on Friday night in St. Petersburg.

FINAL: Florida Tech 0, Eckerd 3
Records: Florida Tech (4-7, 0-3 SSC) Eckerd (8-2, 1-2 SSC)
Locations: McArthur Center | St. Petersburg, Fla.

STATS OF THE MATCH:

First Set:

• The Panthers took a 6-4 lead to start the match following two kills from Antia Vallecas Rodriguez and a service ace from Kari Voelstad Bogen.
• Eckerd captured an 8-7 lead until a block assist from Kenzie Delacher and Lexi Lueger tied the set and a service ace from Jeanne Hassoun helped Tech regain the lead 9-8.
• Tied 10-10, the Tritons recorded five straight points with Seiler Hruska recording two services for Eckerd during the run as the Tritons pulled ahead 14-10.
• A solo block from Chiara Patelli and two attack errors from Eckerd allowed Tech to trail by just one, 14-13.
• Kills from Jaida Clark and Nyla Muskovin put Eckerd up 16-13, before Cordelia Kearns and Vallecas Rodriguez captured kills along with a service ace from Delacher tied the set once again 16-16.
• The Panthers would trail by five, 21-16, as two attack errors from Lueger followed by two kills from Stella Antypa pushed the Tritons ahead.
• Four of the final five points were scored by Eckerd's as Erin Garr closed out the set giving the Tritons a 25-19 win in the first set and take a 1-0 lead in the match.

 
Second Set:

• The second set saw the Tritons jump out to a large 11-3 lead. Eckerd's run was highlighted by three kills from Garr.
• Tech rallied back to tie the set 13-13, thanks to six unanswered points. The Panthers run came off of two service aces in a row by Patelli and a kill from  María Jesús Muñoz.
• The Tritons answered back with seven unanswered points of their own with Clark tallying three kills for the Tritons.
• Bringing the set back to within three points at 21-18 after a four-run streak was not enough for Tech as Hruska managed to close out the second set for Eckerd 25-19 as the Tritons took a 2-0 lead in the match.

 
Third Set:

• With the set tied 6-6, the Panthers took a slight lead 7-6, before six unanswered points from the Tritons pushed the Tritons lead to 12-7, led by two kills from Garr.
• Eckerd would later score four more unanswered points to lead 17-8 with kills from Muskovin and a service ace from Hruska.
• Tech failed to gain traction in the third and final set as ahead by 10, 23-13, the Tritons would go on to win the final set 25-13 and win the match 3-0.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Eckerd leads the all-time series against Tech 36-24. Eckerd has won the last 12 meetings against the Panthers with the past nine matches being in straight sets.
• Eckerd has won the last 23 matches in St. Petersburg against the Panthers.
• Tech's last win in at Eckerd came in a four-sets victory on October 24, 2000.
• Eckerd out played the Panthers leading in all stat categories of points (59-31), kills (46-21), aces (6-5), blocks (7-5), assists (40-21) and digs (63-62).
• Stella Antypa was the leading scorer in the match with 13.5 points.
• Vallecas Rodriguez, Patelli and Muñoz each recorded six points leading the Panthers offense.
• Voelstad Bogen returned at the libero position tonight, recording 20 total digs to lead both teams.
• Jaida Clark was the leading blocker as she recorded five block assists in the match.

 
UP NEXT:
The Panthers will return to action in Saint Leo on Saturday, September 23, where they will face the Lions at the Marion Bowman Activities Center at 4:00pm.
 
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