ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - No. 6 Lynn volleyball delivered a statement road win on Friday night, overcoming a slow start to defeat Eckerd, 3-1, in Sunshine State Conference action. The victory was fueled by a dominant performance from Nadia Rossi, who tallied 18 kills and 11 digs, while All-Conference standout Fabia Gonzalez Stanton and freshman Alexia Radulovic made impactful season debuts. With the win, the Fighting Knights improved to 12-1 overall and 2-1 in league play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set 1: Eckerd, 25-20
- Lynn traded points early as Ula Gorjup connected with Rossi and Lillia Neill for quick kills to keep things level at 6-6
- The Fighting Knights and Tritons traded blows back-and-forth until a kill from Rossi kept the set tied up at 17
- Eckerd began to build separation behind a 5-1 run late in the frame to go up 22-17
- Neill and Rossi tried to rally Lynn with late kills, but the Tritons closed on a 3-0 spurt to capture the opener, 25-20
Set 2: Lynn, 25-20
- Lynn responded quickly in the second set, racing out to a 9-6 lead behind a pair of kills from both Rossi and Neill
- The Blue and White extended the cushion to 15-6 after three consecutive kills at the net from Aline Olegario and a service ace from Radulovic
- Eckerd trimmed the margin to 18-15, but Neill delivered a timely block to swing momentum back to the Blue and White
- Radulovic and Brooke Jackson powered down two late kills as Lynn closed the frame, 25-20, to even the match
Set 3: Lynn, 25-17
- The Fighting Knights jumped out hot, using kills from Rossi, Radulovic, Neill and Olegario to spark an 8-2 start
-  Excellent serving from Jackson and Olegario's presence at the net extended the advantage to 16-9 prior to a timeout
- Neill continued to make an impact with a key block and a kill, while Rossi added a late strike to keep the Tritons at bay
- Radulovic sealed the frame with a decisive kill from Gorjup as Lynn rolled to a 25-17 win and a 2-1 lead in the match
Set 4: Lynn, 25-21
- Lynn carried momentum into the fourth set, building a 7-3 lead behind kills from Neil and Jackson
- Gorjup recorded a solo block at mid-set, followed by a kill from Rossi to stretch the cushion to 15-8
- Stanton recorded her first kill of the season to spark a 6-2 run for the Blue and White to build a 10 point advantage, 22-12
- Eckerd attempted a push, cutting the deficit to 24-21, but Olegario steadied the Fighting Knights with the decisive strike to seal the match, 25-21
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Rossi powered the offense with a team-high 18 kills on .359 hitting while adding 11 digs for her second double-double of the season
- Neill matched her efficiency at the net, delivering 11 kills, 4 blocks, and 14.5 points
- Olegario was a force in the middle, finishing with 11 kills on a .391 clip
- Radulovic made an immediate impact in her debut, tallying 7 kills, 1 ace, and 8.5 points.
- Stanton also made a powerful impact, providing a kill and 8 digs in her first match of the season
- Gorjup directed the attack with 42 assists, chipped in 10 digs, and added both a kill and a service ace
- Clara Maidantchik anchored the defense with a team-high 15 digs while also serving up an ace
- As a team, Lynn hit .270 with 56 kills and 65 digs, compared to Eckerd's .168 hitting percentage
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights continue their SSC road trip on Saturday, Oct. 4 as Lynn heads to Winter Park to take on Rollins in a 4 p.m. showdown.