Sharks rally back to reverse sweep Daytona State
In a thrilling comeback, the Miami Dade College Sharks volleyball team pulled off an impressive reverse sweep against the Daytona State Falcons. Despite dropping the first two sets (21-25, 18-25), Miami Dade rallied back to clinch the next three sets and secure the victory.
In the first set, Daytonajumped to an early lead, fueled by a series of well-timed kills and capitalizing on the Sharks errors. Leia Lund and Mia McCurley led Daytona throughout, keeping the Sharks at bay. Kiko Benoit's squad responded with key kills from Angelica Rodriguez and Luyeisy Marquez, but the Falcons ultimately managed to close out the set.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with Daytona again building momentum. The Falcons' defense, highlighted by effective blocking from Beril Celik and Abana Terran, forced multiple Miami Dade errors. Although Esthefany Rabit and Katielle Alonzo contributed significant kills, Daytona's balanced offense kept Miami Dade away, allowing the Falcons to claim the second set.
However, the Sharks regrouped for the third set, coming out with renewed energy and focus. Behind strong plays from Rabit and Alonzo, the Sharks clawed back, cutting down errors and disrupting Daytona's rhythm.
In the fourth set, the Sharks' teamwork shone as they began finding openings in the Falcon defense. Maria Clara Antunes orchestrated the offense allowing the Sharks to tie the match 2-2 after a tightly contested fourth set, setting the stage for a decisive fifth.
The fifth set was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading points. Miami Dade's front line, led by Rabit and Marquez, found success against Daytona's blockers, while Martinez anchored the back row with crucial digs. In the end, the Sharks' resilience paid off as they took the fifth set, completing a stunning reverse sweep to seal the match victory.
This comeback keeps the Sharks at 19-1 for the year meaning they'll head in to the FCSAA State Tournament as the #2 seed behind the Florida Southwestern Bucs.