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By RODNEY PAGE
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 22, 2000
Okay, so the bar may not have been set high, but hey, a record is a record.
In 18 previous yearsin the Sunshine State Conference, Eckerd College never won more than two league matches in a season.
That record no longer stands.
The Tritons were 3-2 in the SSC entering Friday's match against Rollins College. Eckerd is 19-8 overall, which is one better than the season record for wins set last year.
The Tritons are ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Div. II South Region Poll. They are in fourth place in the SSC, with the top four teams earning bids to the regional tournament.
While Eckerd isn't harboring any notions of winning the conference -- Barry, Florida Southern and Tampa will battle for that honor -- the Tritons would like to stay in fourth to make their first post-season appearance.
"We play in the strongest conference in the state," Tritons third-year coach Hollie Miller said.
"So we play some pretty tough matches. And these girls have been with me for three years now," she said. "They know what's expected. We've got 14 strong players that have played well all season."
Miller, who had success at Pinellas Park High School before taking over at Eckerd, has developed some team chemistry in her three years.
Any player who didn't want to run wind sprints? Gone. Any player who showed up late for practice, or in some cases not at all? Gone.
The result has been wins.
Miller said she doesn't have one superstar but a group of 14 players she can use at any time during matches.
"Depth has been our biggest thing," Miller said. "Especially at this time of year.
"Most teams have eight or nine players and they just go with them. We used to be like that. But now we can continue to make substitutions, and it helps us when we get to the later games.
"Knock on wood, we haven't had any injuries," she said.
Emily King, Erin Johnson, Kelly Jackson, Samantha Hawk, Kelly Street, Sonja Skovsted and Courtney Kelly have all contributed.
After a Saturday match with Barry, Eckerd has only seven remaining. Five of those matches are against SSC opponents, including Tampa on Oct. 30.
How the Tritons fare will determine whether they will play in the post-season.
Miller is looking even farther down the line.
"I like this team so much," she said.
"There's only like 18 days left in the season and I'm already getting sad thinking about it. I don't want it to end."
SPJC IS ROLLING: Eckerd isn't the only volleyball school in town.
Entering the weekend's SPJC Classic, the Trojans were 20-8, 7-1 in the Suncoast Conference. SPJC is ranked fifth in the state junior college poll and 20th nationally.
The Trojans are hoping to make a second straight visit to the Florida Junior College State Tournament, Nov. 2-4 in Kissimmee.
CLEARWATER CHRISTIAN: The Cougars have been one of the best National Christian College Athletic Association volleyball teams in the nation.
This year is no exception.
Clearwater Christian owned a 33-9 record after beating Warner Southern on Oct. 17.
This weekend, the Cougars played in the NCCAA II Regional Tournament.They play three more regular-season matches, including Thursday against SPJC, before the national tournament, Nov. 1-4.
CLOSE TO TIPOFF: Area colleges are starting to prepare for the basketball season.
Practices officially opened Oct. 15, and most schools tip off in early November.