The Basics
- The No. 13-ranked FIU beach volleyball team dominated play Friday during the first day of the Saint Leo Invitational in Saint Leo, Florida, just outside of Tampa. The Panthers, who extended their winning streak to seven matches at the end of the day, made quick work of the host Lions and Jacksonville, winning both by a score of 5-0. Nine of the 10 matches against Saint Leo and the Dolphins went just two games, with no opposing pair scoring more than 18 points. FIU's seven-match winning streak is the longest since a 9-0 stretch during the 2014 campaign.
Match One Details
FIU 5, Saint Leo 0
FIU (12-5), SLU (1-4)
Rankings: FIU – AVCA No. 13, DiG No. 14 | Saint Leo – AVCA NR, DiG NR
Saint Leo, Florida | Saint Leo Beach Volleyball Courts
- FIU dominated play against Saint Leo, winning in just 65 minutes. The No. 1 pair of
Federica Frasca and
Margherita Bianchin secured the win with a 21-14, 21-13 triumph
- The lone match of the afternoon for the Panthers, to go three sets, came at the No. 5 spot with
Mariana Dal Pozzo and
Taija Thomas eventually pulling out a 16-21, 21-14, 15-8, victory.
- Friday's match was the first-ever meeting between FIU and Saint Leo.
Results
No. 1 –
Federica Frasca/
Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Jenya Krulova/Anna Garrett (SLU) 21-14, 21-13
No. 2 –
Anabela Sataric/
Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Jamee Townsend/Brooke Turner (SLU) 21-12, 21-18
No. 3 –
Lina Bernier/
Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Nina Vattovaz/Reggie Van Devender (SLU) 21-9, 21-11
No. 4 –
Estefanie Bethancourt/
Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Britt Sederholm/Paloma Da Silva (SLU) 21-10, 21-11
No. 5 –
Mariana Dal Pozzo/
Taija Thomas (FIU) def. Allie Daul/Paloma Da Silva (SLU) 16-21, 21-14, 15-8
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 5, 2
Match Two Details
FIU 5, Jacksonville 0
FIU (13-5), JU (1-8)
Rankings: FIU – AVCA No. 13, DiG No. 14 | Jacksonville – AVCA NR, DiG NR
Saint Leo, Florida | Saint Leo Beach Volleyball Courts
- FIU and Jacksonville met for the second time in the last seven days, with the Panthers hanging the same result on the Dolphins, a 5-0 loss. This time, it took FIU just 45 minutes to get the match win.
- Like the first match of the day against Saint Leo, the Panthers had the victory secured by the No. 1 pair of Frasca and Bianchin, 21-13, 21-15. The duo improved to a stellar 17-1 on the year.
- FIU is now 6-0 all-time against the Dolphins.
Results
No. 1 –
Federica Frasca/
Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Mackenzie Swan/Savannah Siegrist (JU) 21-13, 21-15
No. 2 –
Anabela Sataric/
Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Morgan Dees/Katie Krawczyk (JU) 21-17, 21-16
No. 3 –
Lina Bernier/
Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Mallory Mattingly/Lauren Petersen (JU) 21-12, 21-9
No. 4 –
Estefanie Bethancourt/
Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Hannah Marchand/Shaylee Befus (JU) 21-9, 21-11
No. 5 –
Mackenzie Walker/
Erin Byrne (FIU) def. Shelby Babowicz/Tori Reiser (JU) 21-11, 21-13
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 5, 2
Up Next
The Panthers close out the weekend on March 24, against Eckerd (9:40 a.m.) and Florida Southern (2:40 p.m.).
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