FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sophomore Jill Hopper (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown HS) registered match-highs in kills (12) and digs (15) as the Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team swept the three-time defending Atlantic Sun Champion Lipscomb Lady Bisons, 3-0 (25-19, 30-28, 25-18).
The win gives the Eagles (22-8, 16-1 A-Sun) the outright 2012 A-Sun Regular Season title and the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tournament, while the Bisons fall to 17-11 overall (14-3 A-Sun) and will be the No. 2 seed in the tourney. FGCU has now claimed three regular season titles since joining the A-Sun in 2007 (2007, 2008, 2012).
Hopper led the Green and Blue, who have won 10 consecutive matches at home, with her 10th double-double (12 kills, 15 digs) of the season. Sophomore Olivia Mesner (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River HS) tallied 10 kills and a .400 hitting percentage. Junior Kaitlin Holm (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS/Marshall) finished with nine kills, two blocks and a .412 hitting percentage, while classmate Christine Pinder (Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz HS/Houston/Central Florida CC) recorded seven kills and 10 digs. Senior Brittany Muse (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) and junior Karina Mambuca (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS/Southeastern) registered six kills and six blocks, respectively. Sophomore Whitney Masters (Muncie, Ind./Wapahani HS) racked up 15 digs on the night, 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 37 assists combined.
FGCU won the team dig battle 53-45 and outhit LU .279 to .173. The Eagles also won the battle in kills (46-42), assists (42-38), service aces (4-2) and blocks (6-1).
The Green and Blue will be back in action Saturday night when they host Northern Kentucky in the final A-Sun regular season match of the 2012 season. Senior Day ceremonies for FGCU's three seniors, Muse, Brooke Kohler (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter HS/Clemson) and Lindsey Childs (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./South Plantation HS), will take place prior to the match. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
