FORT MYERS — Polk State Volleyball was unable to pick up a win during a gauntlet of slate to open the season at the Battle at the Beach Invitational. The Eagles concluded their stay with a 3-0 loss to No. 5 Trinity Valley Community College.
Polk State showed plenty of fight, however. The Eagles fell by scores of 25-17, 25-16 and 25-14.
Polk State started strong in the opening set, jumping to a 4-2 lead. The hot start was highlighted by a block at the net by Chillis Oke and Dublin Fitzgerald.
With the score tied 5-5, Trinity Valley seized control with a 7-1 run. The Cardinals led by as many as 10 in the set but the Eagles refused to go quietly.
Trailing 24-14, Polk State used an ace from Ana Martinez and a kill from Adriauna Combs during a mini 3-0 run to stay alive but a service error ultimately ended the set.
The second set took a similar path. The Eagles fell behind 3-0 early but got as close as one following a thunderous kill from Fitzgerald and an ace from Oke.
Trinity Valley again seized control with a big run, using a 9-2 spurt to push the advantage to 17-8. The Eagles tried to make things interesting late. After Fitzgerald's kill cut the lead to 19-10, Oke came up with consecutive aces to cut the lead to seven but Polk State could get no closer.
In the third set, Trinity Valley raced to an 8-1 lead. Polk State got no closer than six from there. After Combs' kill cut the lead to 18-12 late in the set, the Cardinals scored seven of the next nine points to end the match.
Fitzgerald set a career-high and led Polk State with nine kills. Combs added six kills. Oke led Polk State with four aces. Martinez paced the Eagles with 14 digs. Letizia Okonofua finished with a match-high 16 kills to lead Trinity Valley.
After three matches in two days, Polk State (0-3) will get a bit of an extended rest. The Eagles will head to Texas for the Wrangler/Ranger Roundup. They'll play four matches in two days beginning on Friday against Seward County Community College.
