SIESTA KEY, Fla. (April 10, 2015) – The third-ranked sand volleyball team closed out regular season dual action with a 4-1 win over Stetson Friday afternoon. With the victory, the Panthers improve to 18-1 on the year and 4-0 against current AVCA Top 10 opponents. 
 
FIU took an early 3-0 lead to secure the match as the No. 2 team secured the first win of the match as seniors Kristine Monforte and Summer Nash handed Stetson's Savannah Byl and Holly Reschke their second loss of the season (21-13, 21-18). The Panthers continued to cruise as the No. 3, 4, and 5 teams also executed in straight sets, and their only loss in the dual came at the No. 1 position due to an injury as the Samoday and Licka retired midway through the second set.
 
The Panthers continue action throughout the weekend at the Fiesta on Siesta. FIU begins pairs pool play tomorrow, and the event wraps up on Sunday with multiple single-elimination brackets.
 
No. 3 FIU def. No. 9 Stetson (STET) 4-1
No. 1    Maryna Samoday/Anja Licka (FIU) def. Julie Bassett/Kaley Melville (STET) 26-24, 12-5 (retired)
No. 2    Kristine Monforte/Summer Nash (FIU def. Savannah Byl/Holly Reschke (STET) 21-13, 21-18
No. 3    Martyna Gluchowicz/Anna Budinska (FIU) def. Maren Rygh/Kristin Lind (STET) 21-15, 21-16
No. 4    Darija Sataric/Marina Boulanger (FIU) Madison Akins/Kaylee Anderson (STET) 21-16, 21-15
No. 5    Aren Cupp/Tina Toghiyani (FIU) def. Madison Tormey/Claudia Kalin (STET) 21-16, 21-11
Exh.     Savannah Davis/Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Stephanie Marin/Erika White (STET) 24-22, 21-13
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSandVolleyball) 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).
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean BankField at FIU Stadium.
 
 About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that 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 contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.