MIAMI (April 1, 2017) – The No. 15-ranked FIU beach volleyball team (17-8, 7-3 CCSA) closed out the fifth annual Surf & Turf Invitational on South Beach with two wins against No. 18 Tulane, 4-1, and No. 14 Florida Atlantic, 3-2, and dropping its one loss to No. 3 UCLA, 4-1. 
 
In the first match of day two for the Panthers, FIU defeated Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) rival, Tulane, 4-1. Leading the Panthers was the No. 5 pair of Lina Bernier and Natalia Giron with a 21-8, 21-14 win over the Green Wave's Sarah Strasner and Anna Chin.  
 
Picking up their first win at the No. 1 position over Tulane's Madeline Mertz and Lan Nguyen, 19-21, 21-14, 15-12, was the undefeated duo of Margherita Bianchin and Federica Frasca, who finished the weekend with a 6-0 record, making them 12-0 on the season.  
 
In the afternoon match-up against No. 3 UCLA, the Panthers dropped a 4-1 contest, but FIU did not go down without a fight with the No. 4 pair of Katie Hogan and Helene Thelle losing a heartbreaking first set by only two points, 35-33, in a thriller. They would drop the second game 21-19. 
 
At the No. 5 position, Lina Bernier and Natalia Giron dropped a tight, three-set decision to UCLA's Chanti Holroyd and Lily Justine, 18-21, 21-18, 15-11.
 
The only pair that claimed a victory against the Bruins was the Italian duo of Margherita Bianchin and Federica Frasca with a 26-24, 13-21, 16-14 win at the No. 1 spot against Nicole McNamara and Megan McNamara.  
 
In the final match of the two-day event, the Panthers went up against the No. 15 Florida Atlantic and cinched the tournament finale in an exhilarating fashion, 3-2.
 
The closing match of the invite went down to the wire. After pairs 2, 3, 4, and 5 finished competing, the contest was tied at 2-2, with the No. 1 dual between Bianchin and Frasca against FAU's Megan Rice and Jessalyn Kinlaw to be the determining match in who was taking home the victory. The Bianchin/Frasca duo won the match in the third set, 21-15, 18-21, 15-11. This is FIU's second win over Florida Atlantic this season.
 
Overall, FIU went 2-1 to conclude the final day of this year's home tournament, finishing the weekend with a 4-2 mark. The Panthers turned in victories over New Orleans, Arizona State, Tulane, and Florida Atlantic.
 
The Panthers will be back in action next Friday, April 7, at the Staybridge Suites Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. First serve against CCSA foe University of South Carolina is set for 10 a.m.
 
#15 FIU def. #18 Tulane, 4-1
 
1. Margherita Bianchin/Federica Frasca (FIU) def. Madeline Mertz/Lan Nguyen (TUL) 19-21, 21-14, 15-12
2. Kari Peterson/Taija Thomas (FIU) def. Tea Juric/Kaylie McHugh (TUL) 14-21, 24-22, 15-11
3. Katie Hogan/Helene Thelle (FIU) def. Hannah Holmes/Briana Correa (TUL) 21-17, 21-11
4. Tarin Mergener/Annie Shurtz (TUL) def. Estefanie Bethancourt/Anabela Sataric (FIU) 16-21, 21-15, 15-10
5. Lina Bernier/Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Sarah Strasner/Anna Chin (TUL) 21-8, 21-14
 
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2
 
#3 UCLA def. #15 FIU, 4-1
 
1. Margherita Bianchin/Federica Frasca (FIU) def. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA) 26-24, 13-21, 16-14
2. Kamila Tan/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) def. Kari Peterson/Taija Thomas (FIU) 21-16, 21-10
3. Torrey Van Winden/Elise Zappia (UCLA) def. Estefanie Bethancourt/Anabela Sataric (FIU) 21-16, 21-14
4. Izzy Carey/Jordan Anderson (UCLA) def. Katie Hogan/Helene Thelle (FIU) 35-33, 21-19
5. Chanti Holroyd/Lily Justine (UCLA) def. Lina Bernier/Natalia Giron (FIU) 18-21, 21-18, 15-11
 
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 2, 4, 1
 
#15 FIU def. #14 Florida Atlantic, 3-2
 
1. Margherita Bianchin/Federica Frasca (FIU) def. Megan Rice/Jessalyn Kinlaw (FAU) 21-15, 18-21, 15-11
2. Candace Lacour/Gabby Dischler (FAU) def. Kari Peterson/Taija Thomas (FIU) 21-16, 21-17
3. Nicole Navarro/Nicole Grant (FAU) def. Estefanie Bethancourt/Anabela Sataric (FIU) 22-20, 21-19
4. Katie Hogan/Helene Thelle (FIU) def. Brittany Pellitteri/Julia Lewkowitz (FAU) 21-14, 21, 19
5. Lina Bernier/Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Jazmine Barker/Ashlan Cunningham (FAU) 21-16, 21-19
 
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 4, 3, 1
 
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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 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 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/.