Elias' Triple-Double Moves #7 Spartans Past Adelphi

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The No. 7 ranked University of Tampa Spartans volleyball team won its fourth match of the year against the Adelphi University Panthers behind a triple-double from senior Melissa Elias, her second of the season. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: #7 Tampa 3 (1: 25-20, 2: 25-13, 4: 25-15), Adelphi 1 (3: 25-23)

Records: #7 Tampa 4-1, Adelphi 5-2

Location: Center for Recreation & Sports || Garden City, N.Y.

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HOW IT HAPPENED:

First Set: The Spartans gave up the two first points of the set and found themselves down an early 2-0. Tampa rallied with a 7-2 run, including five consecutive points, to take the lead 7-4. Three Adelphi attack errors and a service ace by freshman Kalli Cors fueled the Spartans run and they never looked back. Tampa maintained their lead for the remainder of the set and won 25-19. Score: 1-0 Tampa

Second Set: The Spartans and Panthers traded blows in the early parts of the second set, with the score at one point 4-4 all. Tampa used a 6-2 run with kills from senior Katie McKiel (from Emily Noe), graduate student Sierra Rayzor, senior Melissa Elias (from senior Claudia Rivera), and sophomore Mackenzie Dufresne (from Noe) to go up 10-6. The Spartans cruised to a 25-12 second set win. Score: 2-0 Tampa

Third Set: The Panthers rushed out to a 7-3 lead and Tampa rallied, tying the set 8-8 with a kill from freshman Jenna Vaske (from sophomore Chelsea Simmons). The Spartans and Panthers traded points the rest of the way, with Adelphi narrowly escaping with a 25-23 set win. Score: 2-1 Tampa

Fourth Set: The fourth set was all Tampa, as the Spartans began the set with a 6-3 run, including four consecutive kills, three by McKiel (from Elias twice and Rayzor) and Cors (from Elias). The Spartans were the first to 15 and finished strong, taking the final set 25-15. Final: 3-1 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Two Spartans had double-digit kills: Melissa Elias and Katie McKiel. Elias' hit percentage of .455 is a season-high.
• Melissa Elias posted her second triple-double of the year with 10 kills, 22 assists, and 12 digs.
• Four Spartans had double-digit digs: McKiel (15), Elias (12), Sorrel Houghton (11), and Claudia Rivera (10).
• Emily Noe has double-digit assists in every match this season.

UP NEXT: The Spartans continue their New York road trip with a match against Nyack on Saturday, September 11 at 12:00 PM.