Posted: Oct 29, 2025
FORT MYERS, Fla.- Eight Florida SouthWestern sophomores closed out their regular season careers with the Buccaneers in style on Wednesday night in Suncoast Arena as the 3rd ranked Bucs swept past the #20 Daytona State Falcons on Sophomore Night in Fort Myers to close the regular season 22-2 overall and 11-1 in Citrus Conference action.
It was all FSW in the first as the Bucs jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead before stretching that to 9-3 after a dozen points. A Magi Milicevic ace made it 12-5 FSW midway through the set and moments later a kill followed by an ace from Sara Gamboa bumped the Bucs lead to 19-8. The Bucs didn't relent, closing the set on a 5-1 run with a pair of kills from Milicevic to finish off the Falcons 25-11 and go ahead 1-0 in the match. The Bucs finished the set with 15 kills and just 1 error to hit .667 as a team while Daytona managed just 3 kills and hit -.105.
Daytona came out with a little bit more energy in the second, going toe to toe with the Bucs over the first 20 points as the teams found themselves deadlocked at 10. The Falcons found a little momentum, taking a three point lead at 18-15, but FSW stormed back with four in a row to take a one point lead of their own at 19-18. The back and forth continued as Daytona got a sideout to tie the score back up and then rolled off five of the next six points to take it to set point at 24-20. Back to back kills from Gamboa and Giovanna Rocha fought off the Falcons first two set point chances and an attack error by Daytona made it a 24-23 game. The Falcons had another swing to win it, but Rocha and Valentina Zevallos combined for a huge block to tie the score at 24 and extend the set to extra points. Daytona had two more shots at the set, but both times the Bucs denied them as the score deadlocked once again at 26. Irina Makinen found Rocha on the right side to give the Bucs a shot at set point, but Daytona answered with a kill of their own to tie the set once again. Aleksandra Lucic ripped a shot cross court for a kill to make it 28-27 Bucs and Daytona swung wide on their attempt to extend things further as FSW finished off a 29-27 win in the second to go to the locker rooms up 2-0.
The Bucs were forced to play from behind right off the bat in the third as Daytona raced out to an 8-3 lead as they looked to mount a comeback on FSW. Kills from Zevallos and Rocha and a block from Lucic and Milicevic drew the Bucs back to within one. Daytona regrouped and kept out in front, taking a 15-10 lead on an ace, but the Falcons continued to shoot themselves in the foot with attack errors to allow FSW to hang around and eventually tie the score up at 16. The Bucs took a 20-18 lead after a pair of kills from Lucic and Gamboa, but three straight Falcon points put Daytona back in front 21-20. It was 23-22 FSW late when the Bucs sophomores decided it was time to call game as Makinen connected with Gamboa on the outside for back to back kills to finish things off and give FSW a 25-22 win to seal the match 3-0.
It was an offensive explosion for the Bucs who finished off 46 kills in the three set win. Gamboa and Rocha combined for 27 kills while Makinen dished out 41 assists for FSW. Webb paced the team with 15 digs while Zevallos had a team high 3 blocks in her regular season finale with FSW.
The Bucs improve to 22-2 on the year with the win and finish Citrus Conference play 11-1 where they tied for the top spot in the conference standings, but lose the tie breaker via point differential to Miami Dade. Daytona finishes the regular season 13-11 overall and 7-5 in league play, good for a 3rd place finish.
FSW earns a first round bye for the upcoming FCSAA Championships in Fort Myers and will begin their quest for a fourth straight title in the tournament semifinals on Friday, November 7th at 7:00 PM when they take on the winner of the Daytona State/Polk State first round matchup earlier in the day.
