Julija Grubisic Cabo recorded 13 kills and 15.5 points as the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles lost to Missouri 3-1 on Sept. 13 at Hearnes Center in Columbia, Missouri.
Missouri won the match 25-14, 16-25, 25-17, 25-18 in the finale of the Mizzou Tournament. Florida Gulf Coast entered the match with a 3-5 record, while Missouri entered at 6-2. The result left the Eagles with a second-set victory but Missouri won the final two sets to close out the match.
Florida Gulf Coast Answers After Opening Set
Missouri took the opening set 25-14 after building an early lead. Florida Gulf Coast stayed within striking distance behind kills from Grubisic Cabo, Katie Gielas and Erica Muhizi, while Amany Kuwa and Grubisic Cabo scored consecutive points late in the set.
The Eagles responded with a 25-16 win in the second set. Dinara Sabitova delivered two aces during a six-point run that turned a 5-5 tie into a 10-5 Florida Gulf Coast lead, while Maju Hildebrand and Gielas added kills during the run. Grubisic Cabo finished the set with four kills and an ace, and back-to-back aces from Gielas helped Florida Gulf Coast secure the set before a closing kill from Camila Soto.
Florida Gulf Coast opened the third set with a 5-2 lead behind Eliska Vytiskova’s serving, including two aces. Kills from Grubisic Cabo, Gielas and Hildebrand helped the Eagles take a 14-11 advantage, but Missouri rallied to win the set 25-17.
The teams tied five times in the fourth set, including at 7-7 after a Florida Gulf Coast block. Missouri then pulled away, and the Eagles cut the deficit to four points twice before Missouri finished the set 25-18 and the match 3-1.
Grubisic Cabo Leads Florida Gulf Coast
Grubisic Cabo led Florida Gulf Coast with 13 kills, 15.5 points, two aces and five digs. Gielas added 12 kills, two aces and 14.5 points, while Abby Toeniskoetter went 6-for-8 for a .625 hitting percentage.
Sabitova and Vytiskova combined for 32 assists and four service aces. Anna Marzella led Florida Gulf Coast with 13 digs, and Kuwa paced the Eagles with four total blocks.
Florida Gulf Coast will open the Husker Invitational against No. 18 North Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1 p.m. Eastern time at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Source: Original report