MIAMI (March 9, 2018) – The No. 13-ranked FIU beach volleyball team will head to the west coast for what will be its most challenging weekend of the young season, at the East Meets West Challenge, March 10-11, in Manhattan Beach, California. The two-day event will take place at the famous Manhattan Beach Pier.
This weekend couldn't be any more challenging for FIU as it will face the top four teams in the nation – in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll – during its four matches over two days.
The Panthers, 6-1 on the season (1-1 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association) and 3-0 against the AVCA Top-20, begin play in Manhattan Beach with three-time defending NCAA Champion, and currently No. 2-ranked USC Trojans on March 10, at 1:30 p.m. ET. The Trojans come into the event with a 5-3 record. FIU is 0-2 against USC and lost to the Trojans last season, 4-1, on March 11 in this same event.
FIU will close out day one of the East Meets West Challenge, at 5:30 p.m. ET, against No. 4 UCLA, who comes in to the weekend with a 7-3 record. The Panthers are 0-3 all-time against the Bruins and dropped both meetings during 2017, 4-1, including a meeting in this same event last season.
On day two, FIU will take to the sand for its first match of the day when it butts heads with No. 1-ranked Pepperdine at 1 p.m. The Waves come into the weekend with a 6-2 record, and hold a 4-1 series lead on the Panthers, with FIU's only win in the all-time series coming on March 28, 2015, in Columbia, South Carolina.
The Panthers close out the weekend with No. 3-ranked Hawaii. First serve is set for 4 p.m. The Rainbow Wahine leads the all-time series against FIU, 3-0, with the two schools meeting last during the 2016 campaign. Hawaii comes into the weekend with a 4-2 record in 2017.
Up Next
FIU returns to the Sunshine State to take part in the Stetson/Hickory Point Lake Bash, March 16-17, in Tavares, Florida.
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