MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (April 1, 2016) – The tenth-ranked FIU beach volleyball team (8-6, 4-3 CCSA) won all three duals in Day One of the FIU Surf & Turf Invitational, all against conference rivals on Friday at Lummus Park. The Panthers claimed their first victory against South Carolina in a 3-2 decision, then took down Tulane and Florida Atlantic by 4-1 scores.
 
The Panthers were led by the rookies at the No. 1 slot, junior Katie Hogan and freshman Dominique Dodd. The duo went 2-1 on the day, but were the deciding match in the victory against South Carolina. The pair of redshirt sophomore Savannah Davis and sophomore Natalia Giron continued to impress, going undefeated on the day and improving their season records to 12-2.
 
Against the Gamecocks of South Carolina, the No. 5 pair of Davis and Giron made quick work of the match, claiming a 21-14, 21-16 victory. Soon after, the No. 2 pair of junior Aren Cupp and redshirt junior Anabela Sataric won 21-17, 21-11. The Gamecocks tied the dual after capturing wins of both Courts three and four. At the No. 1 pair, Hogan and Dodd came back from a 13-9 deficit to take the match, 16-14. The duo, which had been struggling, solidified the victory for the Panthers.
 
FIU made quick work of the Green Wave, winning 4-1. The Panthers drew first blood on the No. 4 court where graduate student Tina Toghiyani and sophomore Estefanie Bethancourt took the match 21-12, 21-14. Davis and Giron quickly followed on Court 5, taking their match 21-17, 21-12. The Panthers clinched when graduate student Martyna Gluchowicz and junior Marina Boulanger won at No. 3, 21-10, 21-13. To finish the dual, Cupp and Sataric claimed a 21-17, 23-21 victory at the No. 2 slot to give FIU its fourth point over the Green Wave.
 
The Panthers wrapped up Day One of the Surf & Turf Invitational by taking down conference rival Florida Atlantic, 4-1. Toghiyani and Bethancourt continued their strong serves to take the first point by way of a 21-12, 21-14 victory. Boulanger and Gluchowicz, now on Court 2, also won their match (21-12, 21-15). The Panthers clinched another straight-sets win on Court 1, where Hogan and Dodd finished the afternoon with a 21-19, 21-10 victory. To sweeten the deal, Davis and Giron took the match at the No. 5 slot, 18-21, 21-16, 15-11.
 
With the three victories, the Panthers have positioned themselves well to get the wildcard spot for the 2016 NCAA National Championships.
 
FIU is back in action tomorrow, April 2, playing No. 2 USC at noon and No. 8 Georgia State at 3 p.m. FIU will honor their senior prior to the match against Georgia State.
 
No. 10 FIU def. South Carolina, 3-2
 
1. Dodd/Hogan (FIU) def. Williams/Mannisto (SOCAR); 18-21, 22-20, 16-14
2. Cupp/Sataric (FIU) def. Ezell/Blomgren (SOCAR); 21-17, 21-11
3. Riley/Tendrich (SOCAR) def. Taylor/Gluchowicz (FIU); 17-21, 21-18, 15-12
4. Vitt/Wood (SOCAR) def. Bethancourt/Toghiyani (FIU); 19-21, 21-17, 15-13
5. Davis/Giron (FIU) def. Neuenfeldt/Darby (SOCAR); 21-14, 21-16
 
Order of finish: 5, 2, 3, 4, 1
 
No. 10 FIU def. Tulane, 4-1
 
1. Wegner/Juric (TUL) def. Hogan/Dodd (FIU); 21-18, 14-21, 15-8
2. Cupp/Sataric (FIU) def. Nguyen/Mertz (TUL); 21-17, 23-21
3. Gluchowicz/Boulanger (FIU) def. Diirell/McAfee (TUL); 21-10, 21-13
4. Toghiyani/Bethancourt (FIU) def. Holmes/Strasner (TUL); 21-12, 21-14
5. Davis/Giron (FIU) def. Correa/Chin (TUL); 21-17, 21-12
 
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1
 
No. 10 FIU def. Florida Atlantic, 4-1
 
1. Dodd/Hogan (FIU) def. Pellitteri/Weiss (FAU); 21-19, 21-10
2. Boulanger/Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Dischler/Clesen (FAU); 21-12, 21-15
3. Galinis/Tekavec (FAU) def. Cupp/Sataric (FIU); 21-14, 21-18
4. Toghiyani/Bethancourt (FIU) def. Lewkowicz/Cunningham (FAU); 21-12, 21-14
5. Davis/Giron (FIU) def. Fraley/Grant (FAU); 18-21, 21-16, 15-11
 
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 3, 5

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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/.