FGCU libero Anna Marzella (4) reacts after a point during the Eagles’ five-set victory over West Florida on Sunday at Alico Arena. (Nick De Castro / FGCU Athletics)

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team (6-7, 3-0 ASUN) held off ASUN Conference newcomer University of West Florida (10-3, 2-1 ASUN) in a five-set battle, 18-25, 25-23, 25-18, 17-25, 15-11, on Sunday at Alico Arena to stay unbeaten in conference play.

In the deciding set, the Eagles seized control with a 6-0 run sparked by setter Eliska Vytiskova’s service pressure. West Florida clawed back to 9-7, but Maju Hildebrand answered with three kills, and Camila Soto sealed the 15-11 victory with a kill off an Anna Marzella set.

“[Eliska Vytiskova] was great on the service line,” FGCU head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen said. “She is one of our toughest servers. It was nice to start her off, and she was consistently finding that spot. We were able to stop them offensively and starting a set that is only 15 points, starting a set 6-0 is a huge advantage because even though they outscored us by two, we still win by four.”

Julija Grubisic Cabo led all players with 14 kills, 15.5 points, and eight digs. Soto added 12 kills and five blocks (14.5 points), Hildebrand chipped in 11 kills, and Vytiskova posted a double-double with 26 assists, 12 digs, and three aces—surpassing Hanna Borer (713) into 10th on FGCU’s career list with 731. Dinara Sabitova added a double-double (17 assists, 13 digs), Marzella recorded 16 digs, Amany Kuwa tallied eight blocks, and Abby Toeniskoetter contributed six kills and five blocks.

For West Florida, Emily Breazeale paced the attack with 11 kills, Kumara Flanagain added 10 kills, Karyna Werley handed out 23 assists, Camryn Brooks collected 13 digs, and Delaney Hanowell anchored the net with a match-high 12 blocks as the Argonauts out-blocked FGCU 18-13.

After dropping a tight opening set 25-18, FGCU bounced back in the second, breaking a 17-17 tie late and holding off a late Argos surge to win 25-23. Soto took over the third set with six kills, fueling an explosive six-point service run by Grubisic Cabo that erased an early deficit on the way to a 25-18 win. West Florida forced a decisive fifth set by controlling the fourth 25-17.

Coach Baziquetto-Allen praised Soto’s crucial impact off the bench.

“I think Camila’s been developing. She’s super athletic, she takes the shot, and we just wanted to see a little bit more consistency in her, and that’s what we definitely saw today,” Baziquetto-Allen said. “She was able to continue to find the spot to score, and she was really good. A hand that we can count on to score the points when we needed to.”

Reflecting on her performance and the grueling battle against a talented conference newcomer in West Florida, Soto emphasized what the win proves about the Eagles’ ceiling.

“My setter put me in really good situations, and it’s all about mentality. I think keeping in mind that my team has my back and I can just swing with confidence, it’s great for me,” Soto said. “I think it was great. It was great competition to have them on the other side of the net, and it just shows that we can fight against any team.”

FGCU remains home hosting Bellarmine on Friday at 6 p.m. at Alico Arena.