BRADENTON, Fla. - New College of Florida Volleyball opened the 2026 season in impressive fashion, going a perfect 3-0 over two days at the second annual Mighty Banyan VolleyPalooza at SCF-Bradenton's Hal Chasey Gymnasium.
The Mighty Banyans opened the season Friday morning with a five-set 3-2 victory over Bethel before returning to the court later that day to sweep No. 24 Mobile. NCF wrapped up its undefeated opening weekend Saturday evening with a 3-1 victory over William Carey.
NCF exits opening weekend at a perfect 3-0 after winning nine of the 12 sets it played, including six of its final seven.
HOW IT HAPPENED
NCF 3, BETHEL 2
The Mighty Banyans were tested immediately in their season opener, battling past Bethel in five sets, 22-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-20, 15-8.
After dropping the opening set, NCF responded with a dominant 25-14 victory in the second. Bethel regained the advantage with a narrow 25-23 win in the third, putting the Mighty Banyans one set away from defeat.
NCF answered again. The Mighty Banyans took the fourth set 25-20 to force a decisive fifth before putting together their best offensive set of the match when it mattered most. NCF hit .312 in the fifth and recorded eight kills to close out the season-opening victory, 15-8.
Wiktoria Telecka led the NCF attack with 24 kills while hitting .327 and adding nine digs and five service aces. Soraya Nacero added 11 kills, 14 digs and five aces, while Addison Phillippe recorded 48 assists in her Mighty Banyan debut. Khalia Horta led NCF with 18 digs.
NCF 3, NO. 24 MOBILE 0
NCF returned to the court Friday afternoon and delivered the statement victory of opening weekend, sweeping No. 24 Mobile 25-22, 26-24, 25-13.
After taking a competitive opening set, the Mighty Banyans battled through a second set that featured 16 ties before coming away with a 26-24 victory to move within one set of the sweep.
NCF left little doubt in the third.
The Mighty Banyans hit .429 in the final set, recording 15 kills with just three attacking errors, while holding Mobile to a .000 hitting percentage in a dominant 25-13 victory.
Nacero led NCF with 18 kills while hitting .308, while Telecka finished with 13 kills, 12 digs and four service aces. Phillippe directed the offense with 41 assists, and Horta recorded a team-high 15 digs while adding three aces.
NCF finished the match hitting .245 while holding No. 24 Mobile to just .089.
NCF 3, WILLIAM CAREY 1
The Mighty Banyans closed VolleyPalooza Saturday evening with another comeback, defeating William Carey 22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-11.
William Carey handed NCF its first set loss since Friday morning by taking the opener 25-22, but the Mighty Banyans responded by winning three consecutive sets to finish the weekend undefeated.
After evening the match with a 25-19 victory in the second, the NCF offense caught fire.
The Mighty Banyans recorded 14 kills without an attacking error in the third set, hitting .583 on their way to a 25-17 victory. NCF carried that momentum into the fourth, hitting .471 with nine kills and just one error while cruising to a 25-11 victory.
Telecka capped her opening weekend with 17 kills, 11 digs and three aces, while Nacero finished with 10 kills and six service aces. Phillippe recorded 38 assists and 11 digs, while Horta led the defense with 20 digs.
THE TURNING POINTS
VS. BETHEL: Facing a 2-1 deficit, NCF responded by taking the fourth set 25-20 before producing its best hitting percentage of the match in the decisive fifth. The Mighty Banyans hit .312 in the final set to earn the 15-8 victory.
VS. NO. 24 MOBILE: NCF survived a back-and-forth second set featuring 16 ties to win 26-24 and take a commanding 2-0 advantage. The Mighty Banyans followed by hitting .429 in a dominant 25-13 third set to complete the sweep.
VS. WILLIAM CAREY: After dropping the opening set, the Mighty Banyans completely changed the complexion of the match. NCF committed just six attacking errors over the final three sets, including none in a .583 third set and just one while hitting .471 in the fourth.
BY THE NUMBERS
3-0
NCF's record to begin the 2026 season.
9-3
The Mighty Banyans' set record during VolleyPalooza.
41
Service aces recorded by NCF across its three matches.
.583
NCF's hitting percentage in the third set against William Carey after recording 14 kills without an attacking error.
WEEKEND STAT LEADERS
Kills: Wiktoria Telecka - 54
Assists: Addison Phillippe - 127
Digs: Khalia Horta - 53
Service Aces: Wiktoria Telecka - 12
Total Points: Wiktoria Telecka - 70
UP NEXT: NCF travels to Marietta, Ga., for the La Tribu Invitational at Life University next Friday and Saturday.
