FORT MYERS, Fla. - Florida SouthWestern State College claimed its third straight FCSAA Division I Volleyball Championship with a straight-set victory over Miami Dade College on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams' seasons will continue next weekend at the South Atlantic District Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C., where they will face the champion and runner-up from Region 10 with berths to the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship on the line. 

Saturday served as the rubber match - at least for the moment - in the teams' season series. Miami Dade won a five-set thriller on its home floor in the first meeting of the fall; Florida SouthWestern answered with a 3-0 win in Fort Myers. Both teams claimed 3-0 wins in Friday's semifinals to set up Round 3. 

After Miami Dade jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the match, Florida SouthWestern went on a 6-1 run for a 6-4 advantage. Then, the teams went blow for blow over the next 20 points with neither team leading by more than two points. With the score knotted at 21-all, the Bucs scored four of the next five points to claim the first set, 25-22. 

The second set was equally compelling, with back-and-forth action eventually resulting in a 24-24 score. Again, it was FSW who closed strong. Back-to-back points gave the Bucs the set, 26-24, and a 2-0 advantage. 

Florida SouthWestern won the third set more comfortably, 25-17, to claim the match and the FCSAA Champions trophy. 

The Bucs' Julija Grubisic Cabo was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, leading all players with 15 kills. 

By virtue of guiding her team to the win, FSW's Thais Baziquetto-Allen received the Mary Andrew Award, presented to the FCSAA Division I Volleyball Coach of the Year.