TAMPA, Fla. [NCAA DIVISION II SOUTH REGION] – The third-seeded Barry University Buccaneers women's volleyball team swept top-seeded University of Tampa, 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-18), in the NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Championships South Region final at the Bob Martinez Athletic Center on the campus of the host University of Tampa. The Bucs improve to 28-5 and continue on the road to Seattle as a part of the 2022 Division II National Championships Festival. The defending champion Spartans end their season at 29-4.

Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Player of the Year Diana Akopova provided 30 points for the Buccaneers with 27 kills, a service ace, a solo block and two block assists. She had three straight matches in the tournament with 30 or more points. The sweep was the first since 2003 for the Buccaneers over the Spartans, who last lost at home in the NCAA postseason in 2008, ending a 23-match win streak on the Bob Martinez Athletics Center court.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Barry 3, Tampa 0
Records: Barry (28-5), Tampa (29-4)
All-Time Series: Tampa leads the series, 48-21, but Barry has a 2-0 edge in the most recent NCAA postseason meetings, tonight and a 3-2 upset win in 2019.  

SUMMARY:

• 1^st set | Before Barry had reached an 8-8 tie, the Buccaneers had three service errors. Despite that, Barry settled in and did not get phased by any miscues. The Buccaneers had a sideout success rate of 80 percent (17-21) while the Spartans totaled only seven kills and a .091 hitting percentage. There were 12 ties and three lead changes with the last coming at 18-18 and Barry stepping ahead on a Christy Paul kill. Barry won seven of the last 11 points with Diana Akopova providing four kills and Tyanna Butler getting the clinching kill. | Barry 25, Tampa 21
• 2^nd set | Tess Schrenger had a pair of kills early for Tampa who built a three-point lead, 7-4. Akopova struck for Buccaneers' fifth point and then following a kill from Kalli Cors, Barry won five straight and took a 12-9 lead. The Buccaneers won four out of the next five for a five-point lead (16-11). A later five-point run included a kill from Jeyhlen Thomas and Barry led by nine (22-13). Thomas had another kill to set up Luana Bulara's service ace on set point. The Buccaneers were 81 percent successful on sideouts (13-16). | Barry 25, Tampa 15
• 3^rd set | Diana Akopova had a kill for a 2-0 lead before Tampa won five straight including two kills for Nathaly Perez. Timeout, Barry. Two attack errors and a kill from Christy Paul knotted the score at 5-all. Djuly Schmorantz's kill put Barry up 11-10 and the Buccaneers stayed ahead for the championship. With a five-point lead (18-13) and seven points from the title, Barry was whistled for a rotation error. Emily Noe had a service ace before Marija Borcic had a kill for the Buccaneers and Barry won seven of the final 10 points. Match point came fittingly on Akopova's 27th kill.  | Barry 25, Tampa 18

NOTEWORTHY:

• Barry wins its sixth regional championship and first since 2004.
• The Buccaneers have won their last two NCAA postseason meetings with the Spartans, tonight on Tampa's home court and in 2019 at host Lynn University.
• The Bucs have won six sets in a row. Last night, they trailed second-seeded Lynn 2-0, before they mounted a furious comeback to win 3-2.
• During their six-set winning streak, they have outscored their opponents 140-98.
• Barry had four named to the all-tournament team (see below) and Tampa had three.
• Barry won in three different uniforms - Red (Friday), Black (Saturday), and White (Sunday).
• The Buccaneers had six total team blocks.
• Tyanna Butler hit .600 for the match, while Christy Paul hit .556 and Jeyhlen Thomas hit .429. 
• Kills - Diana Akopova (27), Djuly Schmorantz (5), Christy Paul (5)
• Aces - Diana Akopova (1), Marija Borcic (1), Luana Bulara (1)
• Blocks - Tyanna Butler (4), Diana Akopova (3), Djuly Schmorantz (1)
• Assists - Marija Borcic (31), Luana Bulara (5), Djuly Schmorantz (3)
• Digs - Djuly Schmorantz (15), Marija Borcic (14), Luana Bulara (13)

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:
Eckerd College
Outside-Hitter - Damyah Joyner

Lynn University
Setter - Emily Edwards
MB - Monica Mazzoleni

West Florida
Setter - Taylor Vaneekeren
MH - Jenna Zydlo

University of Tampa
Libero - Claudia Rivera
MB - Mackenzie Dufresne
OH - Kalli Cors

Barry University
OH - Diana Akopova
Setter - Marija Borcic
OH - Djuly Schmorantz
Libero - Luana Bulara

ON THE HORIZON:
The Bucs are on  the road to Seattle as a part of the 2022 Division II National Championships Festival (Dec. 1-3).