COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team (2-4) dropped a four-set decision to Wichita State (3-4) on Friday afternoon in the opening match of the Mizzou Tournament at the Hearnes Center, falling 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22).

Shay Heaney opened the match with a kill, but Wichita State pulled ahead 4-2 and later ran off four straight to push the margin to 12-5. Maju Hildebrand stopped the run with a kill, and after the Shockers moved out to 14-8, the Eagles scored four straight. A Hildebrand kill, an ace from Anna Marzella and a pair of Wichita State errors trimmed it to 14-12. The Shockers rebuilt the cushion to 20-14, but FGCU answered with five straight. A Wichita State service error got it going, and during Abby Toeniskoetter's service turn, a Julija Grubisic Cabo kill, a Dinara Sabitova-Erica Muhizi block, a Sabitova kill and a Grubisic Cabo-Muhizi block cut it to 20-19. Wichita State moved to 23-19, and Hildebrand added kills at 23-20 and 24-21, but the Shockers closed the set, 25-21. Hildebrand had five kills in the set.

Wichita State opened the second set with the first two points and stretched the lead to 11-6 before the Eagles chipped away. Hildebrand's third kill of the set and a Wichita State error pulled FGCU within 11-8, and kills from Grubisic Cabo and Camila Soto brought the deficit to two at 16-14. From there, Muhizi, Sabitova and Grubisic Cabo delivered three consecutive kills to tie it at 17. Wichita State moved back in front at 21-19, but a Soto kill and a Heaney ace evened it at 21, and a Grubisic Cabo kill tied it again at 22. The Shockers scored the final three points to take the set, 25-22.

FGCU flipped the match in the third. Tied at 3 after a Toeniskoetter kill, the Eagles ran off five straight points during Vytiskova's service turn: a Soto kill, a Wichita State error, a Heaney kill and two more Shocker errors put FGCU ahead, 8-3. Kills from Toeniskoetter, Soto, Grubisic Cabo and Hildebrand kept the lead at 12-6, and after Wichita State climbed within 15-11, the Eagles answered with four in a row. A Toeniskoetter-Soto block started the run, and a Toeniskoetter kill, a Shocker error and a Soto kill during Heaney's serve pushed it to 19-11. Grubisic Cabo followed with consecutive kills for a 21-12 lead, and a Muhizi kill made it 22-13. Wichita State scored six straight to get within 22-19, but Hildebrand answered with a kill and Heaney put FGCU at set point, 24-19. The Shockers saved four set points to make it 24-23, and a Heaney-Hildebrand block sealed the set, 25-23. FGCU put down 18 kills on .273 hitting in the set to cut the match deficit to 2-1.

The fourth set featured 12 ties. Kills from Soto and Grubisic Cabo had the teams even at 1-1 and 2-2 before Wichita State opened an 8-5 lead. A Grubisic Cabo kill and a Muhizi solo block tied it at 8, and the teams stayed within a point of each other from there. Soto kills tied it at 10 and 13, a Toeniskoetter kill knotted it at 15 and Hildebrand evened it at 16. Wichita State moved out to 19-16, but Grubisic Cabo's kill, a Shocker error and a Muhizi-Heaney block drew FGCU level at 19. The Shockers scored four straight to reach 23-19 before Katie Gielas came off the bench and put down three kills to pull the Eagles within 24-22. Wichita State closed out the match on the next point, 25-22.

FGCU hit .185 as a team. Hildebrand led the Eagles with 13 kills, reaching double figures for the sixth time in six matches this season, and added seven digs. Grubisic Cabo finished with 10 kills and seven digs, and Soto came off the bench for nine kills in three sets, matching her season high. Toeniskoetter posted eight kills on .333 hitting, Gielas had three kills on four swings in her lone set of action, and Muhizi finished with four kills and four blocks. Marzella recorded a season-high 15 digs and an ace, Heaney added five kills and 10 digs, and Sabitova (26) and Vytiskova (20) combined for 46 assists, with Vytiskova also picking up 10 digs.

FGCU continues play at the Mizzou Tournament on Saturday against Arkansas State at 7 p.m. ET.
 

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Maju Hildebrand posted 13 kills, her sixth double-figure kill performance in as many matches this season.
• Anna Marzella recorded a season-high 15 digs.
• Camila Soto matched her season high with nine kills in three sets.

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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