Box Score MIAMI – Entering Thursday night, No. 4 Miami Dade College was the lone remaining undefeated team in Suncoast Conference play. When Polk State Volleyball left Gibson Center Gymnasium, that was no longer the case.
The Eagles (9-11, 5-7 Suncoast) delivered the Sharks their first conference loss with a stunning 3-1 victory. For Polk State on Thursday night, the theme was finishing sets strong.
Trailing 20-19 in the opening set, the Eagles scored six of the final nine points.
Maria Luiza Barreis' soft kill clinched the 25-23 set win for Polk State. Barreis and
Maddie O'Sullivan combined for seven service aces for the match.
Miami Dade rolled to a 25-15 win in the second, but Polk State showed more grit late in the third. The Eagles rallied from a 21-18 deficit by closing the set on a 7-2 run. An attacking error gave Polk State the 25-23 set victory and a 2-1 lead.
Polk State's clinching 25-18 victory in the fourth set would be its most convincing. Fittingly, sophomore captain
Kaila Ru put the match away with an emphatic kill at the net. Ru led the team with 18 kills and four blocks.
In addition to Ru's big night,
Carolina Guerreiro added 11 kills. While
Irene Mostardini and
Aitza Cruz came up with big digs for the Eagles on the back line,
Alanae Margaritha,
Andrea Da Silva, and
Crismeyli Rodrigues added nine, seven, and six kills, respectively.
"Given all the adversity we've been through this season, this team has never quit, they've never given up and they have refused to back down from any challenge," Head Coach
German Del Valle said. "We just went on the road and beat one of the best teams in the country. This is proof that good things happen when you continue to work hard. It's been an honor to coach this team and I couldn't be more proud of the way they played tonight."
With an Indian River State College loss earlier in the week, Polk State clinched a spot in the FCSAA Tournament. The Eagles will be at home for the final time this season on Saturday as Indian River comes to the Health Center on the Winter Haven Campus. Prior to the 5 p.m. match, the Eagles will celebrate Sophomore Day by honoring six sophomores.
