Posted: Nov 17, 2023
HUTCHINSON, Kan.- Victoria Zibecchi and Izzy Collier combined for 21 kills without a single error Thursday night as the #1 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers steamrolled the #10 College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the NJCAA National Tournament in the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Things didn't exactly get started as the Bucs had drawn the game plan up as a service error and a big CSI block put the Golden Eagles out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first set. Thankfully for FSW, that would be just about the end of CSI's highlights for the night as the Bucs got kills from Izzy Collier and Sara Gasparini to tie it up and then Alondra Alarcon dialed up three straight aces to put FSW ahead 5-2. The Bucs kept the pressure on the Golden Eagles, taking a 10-5 lead on a kill from Victoria Zibecchi and stretching the lead to 19-10 after back to back aces from setter Roberta Purashaj. CSI didn't help themselves later in the set as a Golden Eagle service error pushed the Bucs to set point and another mistake at the line sealed their fate as the Bucs took the first 25-15 to go ahead 1-0 in the match. The Bucs finished the set with 6 aces including 3 from Alarcon and 2 for Purashaj while Zibecchi banged home 6 kills without an error on 11 swings to pace the offense.
CSI got off to a better start in the second as they took a 7-5 lead to begin the period, but a second ball kill from Purashaj followed by a big block from Purashaj and Collier tied the score at 7 and started a 6-0 FSW run to put the Bucs in front 11-7. A pair of CSI blocks halted the Bucs run, but they started another one moments later as Collier hammered one to the floor to cap a 5-0 burst to stretch the lead out to 16-9. The Bucs eventually went up eight at 19-11 and looked like they were going to be smooth sailing, but the Golden Eagles scrapped back, scoring five straight to close to within just three at 19-16. The push was enough to wake the Bucs back up as they stormed to the finish line, scoring the final four points of the set including a pair of kills from Alarcon to take it 25-19 and go ahead 2-0 in the match.
The Bucs wasted no time in jumping in front in the third as they scored four of the first five points to take a quick 4-1 lead. The teams played even over the next 18 points to 13-10 when three straight kills from Zibecchi and Alarcon padded the Bucs lead to six at 16-10. The Bucs went up by as many as eight before a 3-0 run from the Golden Eagles trimmed the lead to a handful, but with the finish line in sight, the Bucs would not be denied as a CSI hitting error moved things to match point and Purashaj dropped in an ace to close it out as FSW took the third 25-17 to sweep the match 3-0.
The Bucs multifaceted attack was just too much for CSI on the night as FSW finished with 44 kills and a .287 hitting percentage while the Golden Eagles managed just 30 at a .129 mark. Zibecchi paced the offense with 13 kills and no errors on 23 swings, good for a .565 hitting mark while Collier finished with 8 kills and no errors on 9 swings for an eye popping .889 mark. Alarcon finished with 11 kills and 4 aces on the night while Purashaj dished out 38 assists and had 5 aces of her own. Anna Marzella was solid again in the back row, posting a game high 16 digs from her libero position for the Bucs.
FSW moves to 29-1 on the year with the victory while CSI falls to 26-9.
The Bucs advance to Friday's Final Four where they will take on #7 Trinity Valley in a 7 PM start in the Hutchinson Sports Arena with the winner moving onto Saturday's National Championship match. The other semifinal will also feature a Region VIII vs. Region XIV matchup as Miami Dade squares off with Navarro.
