FIU vs. GSU Score Card | FIU vs. USC Score Card
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (March 9, 2014) – On the final day of the UNF Sand Invitational, the No. 9 FIU sand volleyball team defeated Georgia State, 3-2, before dominating South Carolina, 5-0.
Two of FIU's three victories against Georgia State came in straight sets, as the Panthers' top duo of Ksenia Sukhoreva and Maja Rosko defeated Delaney Rohan and Moriah Bellissimo 21-14 and 22-20, while at the No. 5 spot, Maryna Samoday and Camila Rosado downed GSU's Jessica Fourspring and Alexis Townsend.
At the No. 4 seed, Jessica Mendoza and Jessica Gehrke picked up their fourth win of the year, defeating Milani Pickering and Natalie Wilson in a hard-fought three setter, 21-19, 19-21 and 17-15. The duo is now 4-0 this season.
In the 5-0 victory over South Carolina, three of the Panthers' wins came in straight sets highlighted by Mendoza and Gehrke (now 5-0), as they gave up only eight points in each of the two sets.
FIU's No. 2 tandem of Tina Toghiyani and Aren Cupp won 21-18 and 21-16, while Samoday and Rosado earned a 21-12 and 21-10 victory at the No. 5 spot.
FIU will return to action on tomorrow when the Panthers travel north for Georgia State's Sand Tournament. FIU is set to take on UAB at 6 p.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 – UNF SAND VOLLEYBALL INVITATIONAL
March 9, 2014
No. 9 FIU def. Georgia State (GSU), 3-2
1. Ksenia Sukhoreva/Maja Rosko (FIU) def. Delaney Rohan/Moriah Bellissimo (GSU) 21-14, 22-20
2. Sara Olivova/Jansen Button (GSU) def. Tina Toghiyani/Aren Cupp (FIU) 18-21, 24-22, 15-8
3. Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) def. Kristine Monforte/Marytna Gluchowicz (FIU) 24-26, 21-14, 15-5
4. Jessica Mendoza/Jessica Gehrke (FIU) def. Milani Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSU) 21-19, 19-21, 17-15
5. Maryna Samoday/Camila Rosado (FIU) def. Jessica Fourspring/Alexis Townsend (GSU) 21-15, 21-6
No. 9 FIU def. South Carolina (USC), 5-0
1. Ksenia Sukhoreva/Maja Rosko (FIU) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (USC) 21-8, 18-21, 15-5
2. Tina Toghiyani/Aren Cupp (FIU) def. Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christaansen (USC) 21-18, 21-16
3. Kristine Monforte/Marytna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Jordan Looney/Jade Vitt (USC) 21-14, 20-22, 15-8
4. Jessica Mendoza/Jessica Gehrke (FIU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Litsa Darby (USC) 21-8, 21-8
5. Maryna Samoday/Camila Rosado (FIU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Chynna Ratner (USC) 21-12, 21-10
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 FIU Arena 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/.
