ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Newberry Wolves took the opening set of their final match at the Eckerd College Classic, but the Rollins Tars claimed close victories in the ensuing three sets to take a 21-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-21 win in the MacArthur Center on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, Newberry will enter South Atlantic Conference play next weekend with a 5-4 overall record.

Blair Browning (New Lexington, Ohio) had a double-double with 31 assists and 11 digs, while Samantha Parrish (Angola, Ind.) had a 17-kill, 22-dig double-double. Amanda Soper (Simi Valley, Calif.) had 14 kills and Madison Schultz (Bellmont, Ind.) had nine kills.

Rollins had decent leads in the first set, getting ahead by as many as five points at 19-14, but a 6-1 run tied the set at 20-all. Newberry put away five of the final six points to earn a 25-21 victory and go up 1-0. The Wolves hit .222 in the opening set with Parrish notching six kills and five digs in the set.

It was another tight set in the second set, with Newberry jumping out and Rollins responding. The Wolves led 15-12 before the Tars rattled off five straight points. Late in the set, Newberry narrowed its deficit to two points, but Rollins scored the final three points to take a 25-19 set win and tie the match at a set apiece. Parrish had another six kill set, with six digs and two aces. Soper had three kills in the set.

In the pivotal third set, the Tars jumped out to a 10-5 lead but the Wolves stuck around. Rollins was two points away from the set win at 23-20 before a kill by Soper and consecutive kills from Schultz tied the set at 23-all. Unfortunately, Newberry was unable to grab the lead as Rollins jumped out to the 2-1 lead with the 26-24 set victory. Neither team had particularly good hitting marks, as each defense dug out 36 balls. Rollins had six blocks in the set to Newberry's two. Parrish, Schultz and Soper each had four kills in the set.

Newberry's hitting fell off in the back end of the fourth set. After the set was tied at 18-all, Newberry was only able to record one kill in the final 10 points, with the Tars taking a 25-21 set win. Rollins hit .146 in the set to Nebwerry's .070. Soper led Newberry with three kills in the set.