DELAND, Fla. (March 25, 2016) – The 10^th-ranked FIU beach volleyball team (5-4, 1-3 in CCSA) fell to two titans: No. 4 UCLA and No. 2 Florida State, on Day One of the Stetson Beach Invitational.
 
In the first-ever meeting between the Panthers and the Bruins, FIU fell in a 5-0 decision. The No. 4 pair of graduate student Tina Toghiyani and sophomore Estefanie Bethancourt were the only duo to force a third set against the Bruins. The loss at the No. 5 slot handed redshirt sophomore Savannah Davis and sophomore Natalia Giron their first losses of the season, snapping a seven-game win-streak.
 
The Panthers played much better against their biggest rivals, Florida State, but came up short in the 4-1 loss. A lineup makeover helped FIU compete with the undefeated Seminoles. Davis and Giron, at the No. 4 spot gave the Panthers their only victory of the day. The duo improved their overall record to 8-1 and remain FIU's best pair.
 
FIU will be back in action tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. ET. The Panthers will take on the ninth-ranked Stetson Hatters. Later the Panthers are scheduled to face the No. 5 Rainbow Wahine of Hawai'i at 1:30 p.m. ET.
 
(#4) UCLA def. (#10) FIU, 5-0
 
No. 1 McNamra/McNamara (UCLA) def. Cupp/Gluchwicz (FIU); 21-13, 21-12
No. 2 Carey/Zappia (UCLA) def. Boulanger/Sataric (FIU); 21-18, 21-13
No. 3 Schmitt/Tan (UCLA) def. Dodd/Peterson (FIU); 21-16, 21-15
No. 4 Muno/Buechler (UCLA) def. Toghiyani/Bethancourt (FIU); 19-21, 21-16, 15-5
No. 5 Consani/Weaver (UCLA) def. Davis/Giron (FIU); 21-16, 21-18
Exh. Drolson/Anderson (UCLA) def. Friesen/Hogan (FIU); 21-10, 21-14
 
Order of finish: 5, 4, 1, 3, 2
 
(#2) Florida State def. (#10) FIU, 4-1
 
No. 1 Pardon/Brown (FSU) def. Cupp/Sataric (FIU); 21-13, 21-19
No. 2 Pellitteri/Paranagua (FSU) def. Gluchowicz/Boulanger (FIU); 21-19, 21-16
No. 3 Frerie/Sanchez (FSU) def. Dodd/Peterson (FIU); 24-22, 21-11
No. 4 Davis/Giron (FIU) def. Montgomery/Joyce (FSU); 15-21, 21-19, 15-12
No. 5 Luke/Esposito (FSU) def. Toghiyani/Bethancourt (FIU); 26-24, 21-15
Exh. Horton/Woie (FSU) def. Friesen/Hogan (FIU); 21-16, 21-19
 
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2

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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.Maidiqueand Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field 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 offers more than 180bachelor'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 $9.8 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, theWolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA andhas over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.