DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The FGCU volleyball team won their 13th match in a row with a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-20) victory over in-state rivals Bethune-Cookman. The Tuesday night win improves the Eagles record to a conference-leading 14-2, while the Wildcats slide to 3-13. FGCU's win streak ranks second among active streaks in the NCAA behind Nebraska who tallies 27 and third in the program's Division 1 history. The last time FGCU won 13 in a row was in 2012 when they set a DI school record of 15 straight.
 
Sophomore Maggie Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) helped the Eagles to a hitting average of .319, including .515 in the first set. Rick assisted on 41 of FGCU's 51 kills and is just one of two players in the ASUN conference averaging over 10 assists per set.
 
Three Eagles recorded double-digit kills in the match. Sophomore Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) pounded down 19, while freshman Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall) tallied a career-high 15 and senior Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS/Northern Iowa) added 11. As a team, BCU totaled just 26 kills on the night.
 
Carroll, who recorded a season-best .455 hitting percentage, and Borgiotti both finished with double-doubles, diving for 10 and 12 digs respectively. For freshman Borgiotti, the match marks the first double-double of her career.
 
Junior libero Courtney Stephens (Winter Park, Fla./ Winter Park HS) amassed for 14 digs in the match and facilitated a defense that held Bethune-Cookman to a .128 hitting percentage.
 
"I was really pleased with how we played in the first set," said head coach Matt Botsford. "We were very efficient both offensively and defensively. As the match went on, I thought BCU managed our attackers much better, and we had a tough time maintaining our level of execution. We played well at the end of sets two and three, but for the bulk of those games, I thought we were a little bit out of rhythm."
 
FGCU started the first set with four consecutive points before BCU got on the board.  Three more kills and a Carroll service ace put the Eagles ahead 8-1. The Wildcats answered by capturing six of the next nine scores. Five more unanswered scores came from FGCU before Bethune-Cookman was forced to take a timeout.  When play resumed, the Eagles scored six of the next eight points taking a 24-11 lead. A Pudwill kill ended the first set 25-13 in favor of the Green and Blue.
 
BCU got off to a quicker start in set two, jumping out to a 3-1 lead over FGCU.  The teams exchanged the next 12 scores before back-to-back Wildcats errors tied things up at 9-all. Ten more points were split before kills from Carroll and Borgiotti gave FGCU a two-point lead. Down 20-18, the Wildcats called a timeout. After the break, the Eagles domination continued as they tallied five of the next seven scores to take set two 25-20.
 
With FGCU leading 2-0, the third set started out tight. The teams split scores until things tied up at 10-all. Finally, kills from Stephens and senior Marlene Moeller (Ludinghausen, Germany/Pascal Gymnasium) gave the Eagles a 14-11 advantage. The Wildcats answered with kills of their own, and at 16-all, FGCU took a timeout. With the score tied at 18-all, the Green and Blue took the first meaningful lead of the set with a six-point run. At 23-18, the teams swapped scores until a kill from Pudwill ended the set at 25-20 and gave FGCU its 13th-straight victory.
 
UP NEXT
The Eagles return home for back-to-back ASUN matches this weekend at Alico Arena. FGCU faces NJIT on Friday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. before welcoming USC Upstate on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his third year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program.  His teams have combined for an overall 54-24 (.692) record, including a 22-7 (.759) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish. Botsford has coached 10 All-Conference selections in his two seasons. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.