ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The No. 9 Lynn University volleyball team continued its winning ways defeating Eckerd in four sets, 25-23, 25-21, 26-28, 25-18, in Sunshine State Conference action, Saturday evening.
The Fighting Knights battled through a tightly contested opening set before taking control of the second frame to build a 2-0 advantage. Eckerd responded with a narrow victory in an extended third set, but Lynn bounced back with a strong fourth-set performance to secure its second consecutive road victory.
The victory improves Lynn to 19-3 overall and 11-2 in SSC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Set One: Lynn 25, Eckerd 23
- Eckerd opened the match with the first point, but Lynn quickly responded as Zara Radulovic delivered a kill before adding a solo block to give the Fighting Knights a 3-2 advantage
- The Tritons answered with a four-point run to build an 8-4 lead before Rendic halted the momentum with a kill
- Trailing 10-6, Lynn began chipping away as
Lira Pukl Verdel delivered consecutive kills before a service ace from
Ula Gorjup evened the score at 11-11
- With the set tied at 12-12, the Fighting Knights erupted for a three-point run behind a Rendic kill and a service ace from Pukl Verdel to seize a 15-12 advantage
- Eckerd responded with four consecutive points to regain the lead at 16-15, but Lynn answered with a three-point surge to move back in front 19-17
- The teams continued trading points through the closing stages before Pukl Verdel delivered back-to-back kills to put Lynn ahead 23-21
- The Tritons battled back to cut the deficit to 23-22, but
Audrey Shaw delivered a crucial kill to bring up set point
- Following another Eckerd point, Radulovic hammered home the set-winning kill to secure a 25-23 victory
- Lynn recorded 14 kills in the opening frame, with Pukl Verdel leading the charge with six
Set Two: Lynn 25, Eckerd 21
- Lynn carried its momentum into the second set, opening with a 3-1 advantage behind kills from Shaw and Rendic
- The Fighting Knights continued applying pressure as Radulovic delivered a kill before Neill recorded a solo block to extend the lead to 5-2
- Eckerd battled back through the middle stages, using a three-point run to tie the frame at 8-8 before moving ahead 10-9
- Lynn responded as Radulovic and Gorjup delivered kills before Neill added another to restore a 13-12 advantage
- With the score tied at 14-14, the Fighting Knights used a block from Shaw and Pukl Verdel to regain the lead before Radulovic added another kill to make it 17-15
- Eckerd briefly cut the deficit to one, but Lynn continued to answer as Rendic and Pukl Verdel delivered kills to build a 21-18 advantage
- The Tritons attempted to stay within striking distance, but Pukl Verdel delivered another kill before an Eckerd attacking error brought up set point
- Shaw closed out the frame with a kill to secure a 25-21 victory and give Lynn a 2-0 advantage in the match
- The Fighting Knights recorded 13 kills in the second set while holding Eckerd to a .119 hitting percentage
Set Three: Eckerd 28, Lynn 26
- Lynn opened the third set with a kill from Shaw, but Eckerd quickly responded with four consecutive points to build a 5-1 advantage
- The Fighting Knights began working their way back into the frame as Neill delivered consecutive kills before a service ace from
Madison Jones tied the score at 9-9
- Eckerd maintained a narrow advantage through the middle stages, building a 15-12 lead before Lynn responded with kills from Rendic and a service ace to remain within striking distance
- With the score tied at 17-17, Pukl Verdel delivered a kill before Shaw added another to keep the Fighting Knights close
- The Tritons used a four-point run to build a 23-19 advantage, but Lynn refused to go away as Rendic delivered a kill before a block from Neill and Radulovic helped spark a comeback
- Trailing 23-20, the Fighting Knights scored four consecutive points behind consecutive kills from Rendic and an Eckerd attacking error to take a 24-23 lead
- Eckerd answered to tie the frame at 24-24 as both teams exchanged points through the closing stages
- Neill delivered a kill to bring Lynn even at 25-25 before a Tritons service error tied the set again at 26-26
- Eckerd responded with consecutive points to escape with a 28-26 victory and force a fourth set
- Lynn recorded 14 kills in the third frame, while Eckerd finished with 16 kills on .342 hitting
Set Four: Lynn 25, Eckerd 18
- With an opportunity to close out the match, Lynn opened the fourth set with kills from Shaw and Rendic to build an early 3-2 advantage
- The Fighting Knights continued applying pressure as Rendic delivered consecutive kills before Neill and Shaw added kills to stretch the lead to 9-6
- Leading 10-7, Lynn used a three-point run behind a Shaw kill and consecutive Eckerd errors to push its advantage to 12-7
- The Tritons attempted to respond, but Pukl Verdel and Rendic delivered kills to keep the Fighting Knights in control
- With Lynn leading 15-11, Neill delivered a kill before the Fighting Knights capitalized on consecutive Eckerd attacking errors to extend the advantage to 18-11
- Eckerd battled back with a four-point run to cut the deficit to 18-15, but Rendic answered with a kill to halt the momentum
- Lynn responded with another surge behind a Neill kill and a Pukl Verdel kill to build a 22-16 advantage
- Pukl Verdel added another kill before Shaw and Radulovic combined for a block to bring up match point at 24-17
- Following an Eckerd kill, Radulovic delivered the match-winning kill to secure a 25-18 victory
- The Fighting Knights saved their best offensive performance for the final frame, recording 17 kills on .342 hitting
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Rendic led Lynn with 15 kills on .286 hitting, while adding seven digs, an assist and two block assists
- Pukl Verdel recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs, while adding a service ace, one solo block and two block assists
- Shaw delivered 13 kills on .200 hitting, while adding three block assists
- Neill finished with nine kills on .292 hitting, adding a solo block and two block assists
- Radulovic contributed seven kills, one solo block and two block assists
- Gorjup directed the offense with 51 assists and 14 digs, while adding two kills and a service ace
-
Clara Maidantchik collected 13 digs, three assists and a service ace
-
Ella Voorhees added 10 digs and a service ace, while
Madison Jones contributed a service ace
- Lynn finished with 58 kills, 53 assists, 65 digs, six service aces and nine total blocks
- The Fighting Knights hit .229 for the match, while Eckerd recorded 48 kills on a .175 hitting percentage
- The Blue and White held a 58-48 advantage in kills and a 53-43 edge in assists, while Eckerd finished with a 14-9 advantage in total blocks
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights return home to host Embry-Riddle in SSC play on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7:00pm
