MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- The #18 Barry University Buccaneers women's volleyball team defeated Eckerd College in four sets (25-23, 25-17, 7-25, 25-17) on Saturday afternoon in Sunshine State Conference (SSC) action at the Health & Sports Center. The Bucs improve to 24-3 overall, and 15-2 in SSC play. Barry drops a set in single digits for the first time since a 3-1 loss at Eckerd in 2017 (25-8,17-25,25-21,26-24).
Djuly Schmorantz led the Buccaneers in kills (20) for the second time this season, and only the second time in 2022 that it was not Diana Akopova.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS:
Final: Barry 3, Eckerd 1
Records: Barry (24-3, 15-2 SSC), Eckerd (21-6, 10-6 SSC)
All-Time Series: Barry leads, 41-18, after winning two of the last three meetings and splitting the last 10 matches with Eckerd. Last meeting was one year ago tonight and the Tritons swept the Buccaneers in St. Petersburg.
SUMMARY:
- 1st set | Barry won the first three points with kills from three different Bucs - Christy Paul, Diana Akopova, Djuly Schmorantz. The Tritons reeled off four straight with just one successful attack from Anna Jungjohann. Stella Antypa knotted the score at 23-23 before a kill from Schmorantz and an attack by the Tritons sailed long for the Buccaneer win in the first set. | Barry 25, Eckerd 23
- 2nd set | The Bucs had a 4-0 run started by a kill from Jeyhlen Thomas and then a service ace from Mariana Bertran for a 5-2 lead. Four kills from Schmorantz and an attack error from the Tritons put the Bucs up 10-5. Following a kill by Antypa that cut the Buc lead to 17-14, Barry head coach Leonid Yelin called a timeout and his side won eight of the next 11 points to close out the second set. | Barry 25, Eckerd 17
- 3rd set | As far as the home team was concerned, the third set did not happen. The Bucs had back-to-back Saturdays where they held an opponent to single digits in a set (Rollins had just nine in second set two weeks ago, and Florida Tech held to nine in fourth frame last week), but it had been five years since an opponent had kept Barry under 10 in a set (November 3, 2017, against the Tritons in St. Petersburg in 3-1 loss). No one can recall a team winning a match in four sets while dropping its lone set in single digits. The Tritons opened with the first four points and the Buccaneers got as close as 6-3, but Eckerd was perfect on all seven sideout opportunities. | Barry 7, Eckerd 25
- 4th set | The hosts never trailed in the fourth set and built a 12-6 advantage on an 8-2 run. Schmorantz's service ace was part of another 4-0 run where she also had her 19th kill of the match, matching her career high set just eight days ago against the Lions. Barry converted 70 percent (12 of 17) of its sideout opportunities. | Barry 25, Eckerd 17
NOTEWORTHY:
- Barry remains in first place in the Sunshine State Conference with its weekend sweep of its final home regular-season matches.
- The Buccaneers' seven "seniors" played their final weekend in front of the home crowd - Mariana Bertrán, Marija Borcic, Luana Bulara, Tyanna Butler, Mónica López, Djuly Schmorantz, and Tierney Ward.
- Kills - Djuly Schmorantz (20), Diana Akopova (18), Christy Paul (7)
- Aces - Diana Akopova (1), Djuly Schmorantz (1), Marija Borcic (1)
- Blocks - Diana Akopova (3), Jeyhlen Thomas (2), Tyanna Butler (1)
- Assists - Marija Borcic (44), Luana Bulara (6), Djuly Schmorantz (2)
- Digs - Djuly Schmorantz (15), Diana Akopova (12), Marija Borcic (10)
ON THE HORIZON:
Barry travels for its remaining three conference games next weekend, starting at #4 Tampa on Friday, November 11, at 7 p.m.
