November 7, 2025
Bucs Offensive Firepower Punches Ticket to FCSAA Championship Game
The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers banged home 58 kills to power their way to a 3-1 victory over the #20 Daytona State Falcons Friday night at the FCSAA Championships in Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. Sara Gamboa led the Bucs with 21 kills while Irina Makinen dished out 44 assists and Sarah Webb pulled up 20 digs as FSW advanced to their fourth consecutive Championship Game appearance at the event.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- The #3 Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers banged home 58 kills to power their way to a 3-1 victory over the #20 Daytona State Falcons Friday night at the FCSAA Championships in Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers. Sara Gamboa led the Bucs with 21 kills while Irina Makinen dished out 44 assists and Sarah Webb pulled up 20 digs as FSW advanced to their fourth consecutive Championship Game appearance at the event.
The first was back and forth early on as it wasn't until Daytona State strung together back to back points with the score tied 8-8 that either side had a lead larger than one point. It remained a two point game in favor of the Falcons at 12-10 when the Bucs decided to kick things into gear. Kills from Sara Gamboa and Magi Milicevic got FSW going and an ace from Giovanna Rocha turned the tide and put the Bucs on top 15-12. The teams traded sideouts before two more Gamboa blasts made it 19-14 FSW. With Aleksandra Lucic at the service line, the Bucs roared to the finish line as a solo block from Valentina Zevallos got FSW to set point and a Daytona error sealed their fate to give the Bucs a 25-14 win to go ahead 1-0 in the match. After trailing 12-10, FSW closed the set on a 15-2 run, finishing the period hitting .308 with 16 kills while holding the Falcons to a -.030 mark with just 5 kills on 33 swings.
Things were tight early on once again in the second as the Bucs and Falcons had nothing settled through 20 point with the score tied 10-10. Sarah Webb gave the Bucs a 15-13 lead with an ace moments later and a big block from Gamboa and Lucic padded the FSW advantage to three at 19-16. Just as it looked like the Bucs were gaining control, the Falcons rolled off three straight to tie the score at 19 and just as it looked like Daytona was back in it, a 3-0 FSW run put them back in front 22-19 in the red zone. Daytona drew back to within one at 22-21, but the Bucs went on one final burst, getting kills on opposite pins from Gamboa and Rocha to get them to set point and an attack long by the Falcons once again put the nail in the coffin as the Bucs held on to take the second 25-21 to take a 2-0 lead into the break.
The game of runs continued into the third for the Bucs and Falcons as an early 3-1 run for FSW got them out to a lead before a 3-0 jaunt for Daytona put them in front 4-3. As the script had it, it was the Bucs turn after that as Irina Makinen found Rocha and Milicevic to spur a 3-0 run for FSW to put them back in front 6-4. The waves continued to ebb and flow as three straight for FSW, answered by four straight for Daytona, four for the Bucs, and then four more for the Falcons had Daytona in front by one later in the set at 18-17. An attack error by the Bucs padded the Falcons lead to three and that's the way that it would end as a big block for Daytona kept them alive with a 25-22 win to push the match to a fourth set.
The Bucs shook things off and got off to a quick 4-0 start in the fourth. Back to back kills from Makinen from the setter position pushed their lead to five midway through the set and after Daytona crept closer, two straight kills from Gamboa padded the lead back to five at 16-11. With their season on the line, the Falcons made one last push, drawing to within one at 19-18, but a kill by Lucic got FSW back on track and Gamboa pushed past the 20 kill mark with the penultimate and then final point of the set as the Bucs won the fourth 25-22 to finish off the match 3-1.
The Bucs offense was clicking as they finished with 58 kills to just 35 for Daytona. Gamboa collected 21 kills to lead all hitters while Milicevic notched a double-double with 11 kills and 14 digs. Makinen dished out 44 assists while Webb picked up 20 digs for the Bucs.
FSW earns their eighth win of the season over a Top 20 ranked opponent as they improve to 23-2 on the year while Daytona falls to 14-12.
The Bucs will now play for their fourth consecutive FCSAA Championship on Saturday at 2 PM against rival Miami Dade while Daytona will settle for an 11 AM third place game appearance on Saturday.
With the win and Championship Game appearance, FSW has now guaranteed themselves a spot in Sunday's NJCAA Southeast District Championships where a ticket to the National Tournament will be on the line.