Women's volleyball team falls in quarterfinals of state tournament

The Eastern Florida State College women's volleyball team lost in the quarterfinals of the FCSAA Division I Volleyball Championships Friday morning at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers.

The No. 5 seed Titans lost in straight sets to Polk State College to finish the season with 14 wins. The Eagles won 25-22, 25-21, 25-15.

The Titans got off to a fast start in the first set, leading 6-2 on a couple kills by Libby Ashline. Polk State would go on a 6-0 run to take a 10-8 lead before a Dominae Jordan kill ended the run. Jordan would record three straight kills to tie the match 12-12.

The match would remain tight until Polk State College went on another mini run to take a 21-17 lead. Sofia Kamke and Rachele Braccio each recorded kills to get the Titans within one point at 21-22 but Polk State would pick up the win.

The second set once again saw Eastern Florida State College take an early 10-6 and then 11-7 lead as Jordan continued to record kills.

Eastern Florida State College would continue to lead and an Ashline block would make it 18-13. But Polk State would go on a huge 12-3 run to come back and win the second set.

Down 2-0, Polk State led for most of the third set, posting the victory with the 25-15 win.

Jordan finished with 10 kills and Kamke had nine in her final match with the Titans. Braccio and Emma Kiser each finished with five kills in their final match while Juliana De Acharan had 22 assists and Gaia Riedmuller had 11 digs.

The Titans finish the season 14-8 and were ranked in the top 20 in the national poll every week this season, a program record.

"While the season did not finish the way we all had hoped I am very proud of this group. They have helped this program grow both on and off the court and it is just a special group," Eastern Florida State College women's volleyball coach Melito Eleutiza said.