FORT MYERS, Fla. - The first place Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team swept USC Upstate, 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-21), in its final regular season Atlantic Sun Conference road match.
“I'm proud of the way we bounced back from a tough loss,” said head coach Dave Nichols. “We came in focused and were able to come away with an important win. Hopefully we are able to build on this and finish the regular season on a high note.”
The Eagles, who have only lost 11 sets in conference play this season, improved to 20-8 overall (15-1 A-Sun), while the Spartans fell to 11-16 overall (6-9 A-Sun). FGCU has now registered six 20-win seasons in program history, including three since moving to Division I in 2007.
Junior Kaitlin Holm (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS/Marshall) led the Eagles with 14 kills, five blocks and a .565 hitting percentage. Sophomore Jill Hopper (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown HS) registered her ninth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs and junior Karina Mambuca (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS/Southeastern) tallied a match-high seven blocks, while the setting duo of sophomore Gigi Meyer (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS) and junior Courtney Greenberg (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS/Juniata College) racked up 34 assists combined.
FGCU won the team dig battle 44-36 and outhit Upstate .218 to .108. The Eagles struggled out the gate, hitting .128 in the first game, but hit .229 and .333 in sets two and three, respectively.
The Green and Blue will be back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 6 when they host FIU in the final non-conference match of the 2012 season. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
