FORT MYERS, Fla. — The University of West Florida volleyball team (10-3, 2-1 ASUN) fell to FGCU (6-7, 3-0 ASUN) in five sets (25-18, 23-25, 18-25, 25-17, 11-15) on Sunday. The Argos finished with 18 total blocks and nine service aces, hitting .135 while holding FGCU to a .176 hitting percentage.
West Florida opened the first set with two straight points before FGCU answered with four of its own. The Argos moved back ahead 8-5 on an Emily Breazeale kill, but the Eagles rallied to take an 11-10 lead. Back-to-back Karyna Werley kills, an Aniston Cochran ace and a Delaney Hanowell-Werley block put West Florida ahead 14-11. With the Argos leading 16-13, a six-point run that included two Breazeale kills and a Maddie Mire ace stretched the lead to 22-13. FGCU fought off three set points before a Cochran-Werley block secured the set, 25-18.
The Argos built another 8-5 lead in the second set before FGCU scored four straight points to move ahead. The teams traded the lead through the middle of the set, with a Breazeale kill, Cochran block and Lizzy Kwiatkowski ace putting West Florida up 15-14. After Werley tied the score at 17-17 with a kill, FGCU used a four-point run to take control and later extended its lead to 23-18. West Florida answered with three straight points and fought off two set points to pull within 24-23, but the Eagles finished the set with a kill to even the match.
West Florida jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the third set behind kills from Breazeale, Kumara Flanagain and Cochran, along with a Madison Joyner ace. FGCU rallied to tie the set at 10-10, then scored seven straight points after a Talya Sampson kill to move ahead 17-11. A Mire ace helped the Argos cut the deficit to four, but West Florida could not close the gap. The Eagles scored the final three points to take the set, 25-18.
Cochran served two aces around a Breazeale kill to give West Florida a 5-2 lead in the fourth set. FGCU pulled within 8-7 before a Flanagain kill started a five-point run, with Camryn Brooks serving the final four points to put the Argos ahead 13-7. West Florida maintained its lead, getting a Mire ace to make it 16-10 and a Hanowell-Breazeale block to move ahead 18-12. A Cochran kill and a Gabi Moulton-Cochran block brought the Argos to set point before an FGCU service error closed the set, 25-17, forcing a fifth.
FGCU scored the first six points of the deciding set before West Florida began working its way back. Kills from Kwiatkowski, Hanowell and Flanagain, along with a Hanowell-Sampson block, helped the Argos pull within 9-7. Another Flanagain kill and an FGCU ball-handling error cut the deficit to 10-9, but the Eagles answered with back-to-back kills. Kwiatkowski kept West Florida within two at 13-11 before FGCU took the final two points to secure the match.
Hanowell finished with seven kills and a team-high 12 total blocks. Breazeale led the Argos with 11 kills while hitting .296 and added four blocks. Flanagain recorded 10 kills and six blocks, while Werley totaled 23 assists, eight digs, six kills and three blocks.
West Florida will return home to host Jacksonville on Friday, October 9, at 6 p.m. at the UWF Field House. Live stats will be available on GoArgos.com. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
For more information on the UWF volleyball program, visit GoArgos.com and follow the team on social media at @uwfvolleyball (Instagram) and @UWFVolleyball (X).
