Score Card vs. GSU | Score Card vs. Mercer
ATLANTA (March 11, 2014) – The No. 9-ranked FIU sand volleyball team fell to Georgia State, but bounced back against during the final day of the GSU Sand Tournament. The Panthers are now 6-2 on the season heading back to Miami.
"We had a successful road trip going 6-2," head coach Rita Buck-Crockett said. "Of course we wanted to come back with all wins, but the team had a really good showing. We are proud of how they represented FIU. When we get back, we'll hit practice hard and work out some of the kinks we saw on the trip and be ready for our home opener on the 25th."
FIU fought extremely hard during all matches against Georgia State as two of the three losses were tight three-setters. After winning the first set, 21-18, the No. 1 team of Ksenia Sukhereva and Maja Rosko fell in the next two by scores of 21-17 and 15-8. The No. 5's match was a nail bitter as GSU's Alexis Townsend and Katie Madewell defeated FIU's Maryna Samoday and Camila Rosado in a close, 19-21, 16-21 and 15-13, match.
The two Panther victories against Georgia State came at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots where Kristine Monforte and Martyna Gluchowicz downed Katelyn Rawls and Sarah Agnew, while the dynamic duo of Jessica Mendoza and Jessica Gehrke picked up their sixth win of the season versus Moriah Bellissimo and Delaney Rohan.
In the sweep over Mercer, the Panthers never dropped a set led by the No. 1 team of Tina Toghiyani and Aven Cupp. The duo played extremely well as they routed the Bears' Victoria Penrod and Natalie Braun, 21-13 and 21-16.
Also picking up dominate wins were Mendoza and Gehrke at the four seed again. The No. 4 tandem has not lost a match this season as they return home, 8-0.
The Panthers return home this week for the Blue and Gold Intra Squad Tournament on Friday, Mar. 14. First serve is set for 8 a.m. ET.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUVolleyball) for all the latest FIU volleyball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics). The official hashtag of the 2013-14 FIU athletic season is PantherNation.
DAY TWO – GEORGIA STATE SAND VOLLEYBALL INVITATIONAL
March 11, 2014 – Atlanta
Georgia State (GSU) def. No. 9 FIU (FIU), 3-2
1. Milani Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSI) def. Ksenia Sukhereva/Maja Rosko (FIU) 18-21, 21-17, 15-8
2. Sara Olivova/Jansen Button (GSU) def. Tina Toghiyani/Aren Cupp (FIU) 21-17, 21-15
3. Kristine Monforte/Martyna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) 17-21, 21-16, 17-15
4. Jessica Mendoza/Jessica Gehrke (FIU) def. Moriah Bellissimo/ Delaney Rohan (GSU) 21-19, 21-10
5. Alexis Townsend/Katie Madewell (GSU) def. Maryna Samoday/Camila Rosado (FIU) 19-21, 21-16-15-13
Exhibition
Alexis Elmurr/Jessica Fourspring (GSU) def. Savannah Davis/Marina Boulanger (FIU) 21-15, 21-18
No. 9 FIU (FIU) def. Mercer (MU), 5-0
1. Tina Toghiyani/Aven Cupp (FIU) def Victoria Penrod/Natalie Braun (MU) 21-13, 21-16
2. Ksenia Sukharera/Maja Rosko (FIU) def. Jamie Duffy/Emma Peel (MU) 23-21, 21-18
3. Kristine Monforte/Martyna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Zoe Becton/Emily Rochefort (MU) 21-11, 21-13
4. Jessica Mendoza/Jessica Gehrke (FIU) def. Erin Brett/Hannah Sorensen (MU) 21-12, 21-16
5. Maryha Sarnoday/Camila Rosado (FIU) def. Caroline Carlton/Demi-Shay Watchorn (MU) 21-19, 21-12
Exhibition
Maria Coukoulis/Morgan Crawley (FIU) def. Gretja Otten/Avery Hoven (MU) 22-20, 21-15
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference and an affiliate member of Conference USA (men's soccer). Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIUArena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU is a member of the Sun Belt Conference and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
