FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team (1-2) dropped a four-set decision to RV Florida State (2-1) on Sunday afternoon at Alico Arena, falling 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 27-25) in the finale of a busy season-opening slate.

Florida State opened the first set with three straight service aces to jump ahead 3-0, but FGCU answered immediately with three straight kills from Shay Heaney, Maju Hildebrand and Abby Toeniskoetter to tie it at 3-3. The teams traded closely from there, tying the set nine more times. The Eagles pushed ahead twice more, first at 13-12 and 14-12 on a Toeniskoetter kill and a Hildebrand ace, then again at 15-14 and 16-15 on back-to-back Hildebrand kills. Florida State battled back to level it at 18-18, then closed the set on a 7-1 run to take it, 25-19.

FGCU seized control of the second set and never let go. After trading the first several points and tying it at 6-6, the Eagles ripped off a 7-6 to 9-6 run on kills from Heaney and Grubisic Cabo, and Florida State would not lead again. The Eagles kept the pressure on through the middle of the set, stretching the margin to as many as six points at 20-14 during a stretch that included a Grubisic Cabo ace sandwiched between two Florida State attack errors. The Seminoles clawed back within four down the stretch, but FGCU closed it out on top, 25-19, to even the match at a set apiece.

Florida State asserted control early in the third, jumping out to a 6-1 lead and stretching the margin to 21-14. FGCU fought back late, getting kills from Amany Kuwa, Hildebrand, Heaney and Grubisic Cabo to pull within three at 24-21, but the Eagles couldn't complete the comeback, dropping the set, 25-21.

The fourth set was the tightest of the match, featuring nine ties and seven lead changes. FGCU built its biggest cushion of the set at 19-15 behind kills from Grubisic Cabo, Dinara Sabitova (twice) and Hildebrand, but Florida State clawed back to tie it and eventually took the lead. The set was tied three more times down the stretch, at 22, 23 and 25, before Florida State scored twice in a row to escape with the extra-points win, 27-25, and the match.

Florida Gulf Coast hit .312 as a team on the night. Hildebrand recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs, while Grubisic Cabo added 13 kills and seven digs on .333 hitting. Toeniskoetter chipped in nine kills on a team-best .471 clip, and Heaney also finished with nine kills. Sabitova ran the offense to 46 assists, and Kuwa led the Eagles at the net with two total blocks.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Maju Hildebrand recorded a double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs.
• Dinara Sabitova dished out a match-high 46 assists, the most for Florida Gulf Coast since Lily Tessier's 48 against Kennesaw State on Nov. 17, 2023.
• Hildebrand's 45 kills across the three-match season-opening weekend set a program record for an FGCU freshman over the first three matches of a season, surpassing Jill Hopper's 39-kill mark from 2011.
• This weekend marked the highest-attended season-opening weekend for the program over the last four years.

FGCU INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:

• Sophia Callahan – MVP (BYU)
• Alex Bower (BYU)
• Delaney Ewing (FSU)
• Sofia Moss (FSU)
• Maju Hildebrand (FGCU)
• Nina Boledovicova (VCU)

The Eagles open the Sunshine State Classic on Thursday, Sept. 3, against FAU at Alico Arena, with first serve set for 6 p.m.

SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the FGCU 2026 volleyball campaign are now on sale, and you can take advantage of 12 home Eagles matches, including two tournaments featuring some of the nation's best teams, with plans starting at only $60.By securing your season tickets now, you can save over 50% compared to purchasing single-game tickets for FGCU volleyball.

MINI PLANS
Not sure about a full season? Take advantage of one of our Mini Plans! Now you can Pick 2, Pick 3 or Pick 5! For just $20, you can get a ticket to any two volleyball matches. Add another game to that tally as the Pick 3 mini plan is only $25. Or spend $35 and pick any five home games from the FGCU men's soccer, women's soccer and/or volleyball schedules.

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