TAMPA, Fla.- The four time defending Conference Champion Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers kicked off their title defense on Wednesday, making the trip up the coast to Tampa to duel with #16 Hillsborough in their Citrus Conference opener. Midset pushes in all three sets for FSW was the difference as the Bucs took the match 3-0 in a sweep over the Hawks to remain unbeaten at 9-0 on the year. 

 

The Bucs and Hawks traded early runs in the first set to an 11-11 deadlock midway through the period when a 7-2 FSW burst gave the Bucs their largest lead of the match at 18-13 following an ace from Julija Grubisic Cabo. After two straight from the Hawks, the Bucs scored three in a row to go up 21-15 and moments later a Nina Boledovicova kill gave FSW set point at 24-19. A Hillsborough attack into the net sealed the Hawks fate in the first as the Bucs took it 25-19 to take a 1-0 lead in the match. 

 

The second followed a similar script as the Bucs and Hawks played to a 7-7 tie before Irina Makinen hooked up with Boledovicova and Patrycja Labucka to put the Bucs in front 9-7. FSW went on to score six straight, upping their lead to 13-7 before another burst extended the advantage to 17-9 late in the period. A pair of kills from Grubisic Cabo put FSW on the brink of the second set win before Sara Gasparini found a hole in the Hawks defense to seal it as the Bucs took the set 25-17 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match. 

 

An emphatic kill from Abby Toeniskoetter got the third started for the Bucs and they used the early momentum to jump out to a 7-3 lead 10 points into things. Midway through the set the Bucs had the Hawks doubled up at 14-7 and they held that lead to 17-10 after another hammer from Toeniskoetter. Hillsborough got back to within six a couple of times, but every time, FSW had an answer as they went on to take the set 25-18 to complete the 3-0 sweep in their 2024 league opener. 

 

The Bucs shook off a slow hitting start to end the night with a .250 mark as a team while Hillsborough hit just .114 in the defeat. Grubisic Cabo was solid again on the outside for the Bucs, notching her fourth double-double of the year with 12 kills and 13 digs while hitting .556 in the match. Toeniskoetter chipped in 9 kills and 4 blocks in the middle while Makinen dished out a career high 13 assists while Camilla Brandalise led the way with 28. Clara Maidantchik was big on the back line for the Bucs, joining Grubisic Cabo in double figures in digs with 11 in the win. 

 

FSW  improves to 9-0 on the year with the win while taking their conference opener for the sixth straight season. Hillsborough falls to 10-5 on the year and 0-2 in league play. 

 

The Bucs play their third straight game against a Top 20 ranked opponent on Saturday when they welcome #19 Eastern Florida to Suncoast Arena  for a 2 PM first serve from the City of Palms.