The Sandspur

Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: Sports

Media Credit: RCSID LET´S CELEBRATE!: The Tars congratulate each other after winning some key conference games.

When you're struggling in any way as a team, you'd do just about anything for your team to grind out a win. The highly accomplished Rollins Tars volleyball team found themselves in that kind of situation as they entered October's first week with a 1-4 conference mark.
The Sunshine Conference part of the schedule had been tarnished with defeats at the hands a couple of nationally ranked opponents (Florida Southern and Tampa) and a couple of gut-wrenching heartbreakers (St. Leo and Eckerd). But the Tars hoped to use October to put it behind them and see if they could improve their mark.

On Wednesday night the Tars sixth game homestand kicked off as the Tars hosted the Nova Southeastern Lions. The Lions came into the match winless in conference and had just a 3-11 mark on the season.

The Tars started the match strong, and got out to a comfortable lead that the Lions would never seriously threaten and took the first set easily, 30-20.

In the second set, the Lions took their first lead of the match, 8-5. Then the Tars reverted to the dominance they had displayed in the first set, and forced the Lions into 8 of their 21 errors, and went on to take the second set 30-19. In the third set, the Tars struggled for the first few points of the set, but as the set went on, they displayed the consistency and the good teamwork that was evident throughout the match.

Using the aforementioned intangibles, the Tars were able to clinch their second conference win by closing out the set and match 30-24. Amy Barlow, who had 15 kills, led the Tars. Julia Caner and Christina Reinders added 12 kills. Kim Cline led the effort for the Tars defensively with 16 digs.

Two nights later, the Tars hosted the Lynn Fighting Knights, who were among one of the conference's best teams. Rollins started the match strong, going up 18-7. Lynn went on a little run of their own, but the Tars took the set 30-24. In the second set, the teams traded points until late in the set.

However, it was Lynn who was able to come through in the clutch, and they edged the Tars 30-28 to tie the match at one set apiece. The third set was a mirror image of the second. This time the Tars were able to come out on the winning end with a few clutch shots and some outstanding defensive plays.

Continued...

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