Miami Dade wins Region 8 DI volleyball championship

Miami Dade College Volleyball
Photo courtesy of Tom Hagerty, Polk State College

BRADENTON, Fla. (November 5, 2018) - Miami Dade College defeated Polk State College in four sets to win the Region Division I volleyball championship on Sunday afternoon in Bradenton. 

By reaching the championship match, both teams qualified for the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.

The Sharks (29-1) entered the tournament as the No. 1 team in the country and riding a 68-match winning streak dating back to 2016. The streak reached 69 with a 3-1 win over the College of Central Florida in the opening round but Florida State College-Jacksonville pulled the upset of the year in the winner's break semifinals, knocking off Miami Dade in five sets to halt the winning and force the Sharks to the brink of elimination. 

Miami Dade rallied through the loser's bracket, however, knocking off Indian River State College (3-1) and St. Petersburg College (3-2) on Saturday then won a rematch with FSCJ (3-0) on Sunday morning to advance to the finals opposite Polk State, who had won its first three matches over Richard Bland (Va.) College, Santa Fe College and FSCJ. 

Miami Dade setter Tiziana Baumrukova was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Chiara Bosetti, Polk State; Maria Palacios, Miami Dade; Maria Mancinelli, Florida State College-Jacksonville; Rafaela Biegelmeyer, St. Petersburg; Weiying Wu, Polk State; Samaret Caraballo, Miami Dade; Nicolette Ramos, Florida State College-Jacksonville; Lindsay Glynn, Indian River State; Harper Smith, Richard Bland; Diana Carranza, Polk State; and Scherine Dahoue, Miami Dade.

Miami Dade's Kiko Benoit was named FCSAA Coach of the Year.