JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball opens a four-match road stretch this weekend in Jacksonville, visiting Jacksonville Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. at Swisher Gymnasium and North Florida Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. at UNF Arena. Both matches will stream on ESPN+.
 
Florida Gulf Coast (7-8, 4-1 ASUN) went 4-1 during its five-match conference homestand, and this weekend's matches are its first ASUN road matches of the season. The Eagles beat Bellarmine 3-2 (16-25, 25-9, 22-25, 25-15, 15-4) last Friday, closing it out with a 15-4 fifth set. On Sunday, they won the second set 25-21 and the fourth 25-13 against Lipscomb before falling 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 25-13, 10-15). Through five ASUN matches, the Eagles are 14-7 in sets, hitting .252, holding opponents to .153 and averaging 2.14 aces per set. FGCU has won at least one set in all 15 of its matches this season.
 
Senior captain Julija Grubisic Cabo recorded the 1,000th kill of her collegiate career against Lipscomb. She now has 1,011 across UMBC, Florida SouthWestern State and FGCU, including 526 with the Eagles. She totaled 27 kills and 25 digs last weekend with a double-double in each match, giving her five this season. She leads FGCU with 200 points (3.33 per set) and 25 aces, 16 of them in ASUN play, and has 167 kills and 138 digs (2.30 per set). Freshman opposite Maju Hildebrand leads the Eagles with 172 kills (2.87 per set) and 194 points. She has reached double figures in kills in 11 of 15 matches, had 13 kills in each match last weekend and added a season-high six total blocks against Bellarmine. Junior Camila Soto totaled 20 kills on .425 hitting over the weekend, including 11 kills on 16 swings without an error against Bellarmine, and she is hitting .380 in conference play. Sophomore Katie Gielas has 90 kills and added a career-high 12 digs against the Knights.
 
Senior middle blocker Abby Toeniskoetter hit .467 with 16 kills and 15 total blocks last weekend, including eight blocks against Bellarmine and a match-high seven against Lipscomb. She leads FGCU with 59 total blocks, 30 of them in five ASUN matches (1.43 per set), and is hitting .384 in league play. Freshman middle blocker Amany Kuwa has 48 total blocks and a team-high six solo blocks. She totaled 15 kills over the weekend, including a season-high eight against Bellarmine. Senior setter Dinara Sabitova leads the team with 373 assists (6.22 per set) and has a double-double in three straight matches, including 25 assists and a career-high 19 digs against Bellarmine. Senior setter Eliska Vytiskova had 20 assists, 10 digs and a match-high four aces against Lipscomb, and she ranks 10th on FGCU's career assists list with 773. Senior defensive specialist Anna Marzella leads the back row with 167 digs (2.78 per set). Sophomore Shay Heaney handled 27 serve receptions without an error against the Bisons.
 
Jacksonville (Friday, Oct. 16, 6 p.m.)
Jacksonville is 8-10 (2-2 ASUN) under third-year head coach Alicia Manguiat, the 2025 ASUN Coach of the Year, who led the Dolphins to 22 wins last fall. Jacksonville opened conference play with a 3-2 home loss to North Florida on Sept. 26. It beat Bellarmine 3-1 (18-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-15) on Oct. 2 and fell at Lipscomb 3-1 on Oct. 3. Last Sunday, the Dolphins rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 (23-25, 25-20, 19-25, 28-26, 15-9) at Queens. Friday is Jacksonville's first home match since Sept. 26, and the Dolphins are 1-3 at home this season.
 
Abbie Tuyo leads Jacksonville with 210 kills (3.18 per set) and 247.5 points (3.75 per set). She has reached double figures in kills in 12 of 18 matches, including a season-high 20 against Alabama A&M. Haley Yount, the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, is hitting .360 with 76 kills and 54 total blocks (1.00 per set), including a team-high six solo blocks. She had nine kills and eight blocks at Queens. Addison Krieger leads the team with 61 total blocks (1.00 per set) and had 10 kills on .500 hitting against the Royals. Freshman Jaylyn Tuiasosopo has 155 kills, leads the Dolphins with 28 aces and 129 digs, and had 12 kills at Queens. Senior Claire Mrukowski, a Preseason All-ASUN pick, is hitting .311 with 123 kills, and Kathryn Adler added 12 kills at Queens. Three setters share the offense. Emersen Strain has 255 assists (4.47 per set), Ana Nastase has 219 (4.56 per set) with 26 aces, and Jade Cuya Cobos has 162, including 36 assists and 23 digs at Queens. As a team, Jacksonville is hitting .238, with opponents hitting .229, and it averages 2.00 aces and 2.07 blocks per set.
 
Florida Gulf Coast leads the all-time series 33-13 and has won five of its last six meetings at Jacksonville. The teams split two meetings last season. Jacksonville won 3-1 at Alico Arena on Oct. 26, and FGCU answered with a 3-1 (26-28, 27-25, 25-18, 25-19) win at Jacksonville on Nov. 14 that clinched a share of the ASUN regular season title. The Eagles took three straight sets after an extra-point opener. Grubisic Cabo posted a double-double of 16 kills and 10 digs, and Toeniskoetter added 12 kills. The teams meet again Nov. 1 at Alico Arena.
 
North Florida (Saturday, Oct. 17, 6 p.m.)
North Florida is 9-7 (2-2 ASUN) under first-year head coach Abby Gilleland, who was hired in January. The Ospreys have played all four of their conference matches on the road. They opened by rallying from a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2 (25-16, 14-25, 11-25, 25-18, 15-12) at Jacksonville on Sept. 26. They then fell 3-2 at Lipscomb on Oct. 2 and 3-1 at Bellarmine on Oct. 3 before winning 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-23, 26-24) at Queens on Oct. 9. North Florida hosts Stetson Friday in its ASUN home opener before welcoming FGCU.
 
Kaili Doctor leads North Florida with 247 kills (3.92 per set) and 281 points (4.46 per set). She has reached double figures in kills in 15 of 16 matches, including a season-high 28 against Furman, and she had 15 kills and four aces at Queens. Dakota Spurrier has 204 kills (3.24 per set) and 143 digs and posted a double-double of 19 kills and 18 digs at Queens. Yarimar Francis Garay is hitting .342 with 98 kills and leads the team with 64 total blocks (1.02 per set). She had 13 kills on .455 hitting at Lipscomb. Leah McDonald has 105 kills and 118 digs, and Haleina Bowers is hitting .270 with 38 total blocks. Sofia Dawson, the ASUN Preseason Setter of the Year, has 627 assists (9.95 per set) and 120 digs. Libero Emma Pohlmann leads the back row with 220 digs (3.49 per set), including 21 at Queens. As a team, North Florida is hitting .223, matching its opponents, and averages 12.75 kills and 14.05 digs per set.
 
Florida Gulf Coast leads the all-time series 37-10, including postseason play, and has won its last three matches in Jacksonville against the Ospreys. The Eagles won both regular season meetings last season. The first was 3-1 at Alico Arena on Oct. 24, when Grubisic Cabo posted a career-high 21 kills on .486 hitting. The second was 3-0 at UNF Arena on Nov. 15, a sweep that clinched the outright ASUN regular season title, and Gielas hit a career-best .563 in that match. North Florida won the most recent meeting 3-2 in the ASUN Championship quarterfinals on Nov. 20 in Fort Myers. The teams meet again Oct. 30 at Alico Arena.
 
Florida Gulf Coast continues its road stretch next weekend at Lipscomb Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. and Bellarmine Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m.
 
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