The Basics
- The No. 9-ranked FIU beach volleyball team dropped its final two duals, on Sunday, at the East Meets West Invitational at the Manhattan Beach Pier in Manhattan Beach, California. The Panthers closed out the two-day event dropping a pair of 3-2 decisions to No. 5 Hawaii and No. 3 Pepperdine. FIU falls to 5-4 on the year.

Dual One Details
Hawaii 3, FIU 2 
FIU (5-3), Hawaii (4-3)
Rankings: FIU – ACVA No. 9/DiG No. 9, Hawaii – ACVA No. 5/DiG No. 5
Manhattan Beach, California | Manhattan Beach Pier

- Like its first dual on Saturday against No. 2 USC, FIU found itself in a dogfight in its first contest on Sunday against No. 5 Hawaii during day two of the East Meets West Invitational in Manhattan Beach, California, as the UH handed the Panthers a tough 3-2 loss. 

- FIU won its first two duals, on court five and court one to take a quick 2-0 lead. Katie Friesen (Manitoba, Canada) and Madison Besterfield (Tampa, Florida) got things rolling for the Panthers with a 21-17, 21-18 win, followed by Federica Frasca (Rome, Florida) and Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy) on court one – its first appearance as the No. 1 pair at Manhattan Beach – with a 21-19, 21-18 victory. 

- Hawaii, however, won the final three duals with all three going three sets. Ali Denney (Jupiter, Florida) and Abbie Hughes (Mason, Ohio) dropped a 21-18, 16-21, 15-11 decision at the No. 2 position, the position they found themselves at for the first five duals of the season. Lina Bernier (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Erika Zembyla (Nicosia, Cyprus) fell on court three, 21-14, 17-21, 21-19, in the deciding match, and Dorina Klinger (Feldkirchen, Austria) and Mariana Dal Pozzo (Toledo, Brazil) lost on court four, 21-13, 21-17, 15-9.   

Results
No. 1 – Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Morgan Martin/Amy Ozee (UH), 21-19, 21-18
No. 2 – Emily Maglio/Hi'ilawe Huddleston (UH) def. Allison Denney/Abbie Hughes (FIU), 21-18, 16-21, 15-11
No. 3 – Julia Scoles/Ari Homayun (UH) def. Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU), 21-14, 17-21, 21-19
No. 4 – Paige Drueews/Pani Napoleon (UH) def. Dorina Klinger/Mariana Dal Pozzo (FIU), 21-23, 21-17, 15-9
No. 5 – Katie Friesen/Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Kylin Loker/Jenna Banz (UH), 21-17, 21-18

Order of finish: 5, 1, 2, 4, 3*

Dual Two Details
Pepperdine 3, FIU 2 
FIU (5-4), Pepperdine (8-4)
Rankings: FIU – ACVA No. 9/DiG No. 9, Pepperdine – ACVA No. 3/DiG No. 3
Manhattan Beach, California | Manhattan Beach Pier

- The Panthers fell in their final dual of the East Meets West Invitational, 3-2, to No. 3 Pepperdine.

- The Waves took the first dual on court two, 21-13, 21-16, however Lina Bernier and Erika Zembyla tied the contest up at one apiece, as they took court four, 21-12, 21-19. Pepperdine secured the dual win taking court three, 21-18, 21-17, and court five, 22-20, 21-19, before Federica Frasca and Margherita Bianchin earned the final point for the Panthers on court one, 22-20, 10-21, 15-13.

Results
1. Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Deahna Kraft/Brook Bauer (PEPP), 22-20, 10-21, 15-13
2. Gigi Hernandez/Heidi Dyer (PEPP) def. Allison Denney/Nina Petranovic (FIU), 21-13, 21-16
3. Alexis Filippone/Skylar Caputo (PEPP) def. Dorina Klinger/Abbie Hughes (FIU), 21-18, 21-17
4. Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Nikki Lyons/Maddie Dilfer (PEPP), 21-12, 21-19
5. Simone Priebe/Katie Gavin (PEPP) def. Katie Friesen/Maddie Besterfield (FIU), 22-20, 21-19

Order of finish: 2, 4, 3, 5*, 1

Up Next
The Panthers will host the first of two tournaments in South Florida, beginning on March 15 when they face Florida Atlantic at 10 a.m. and No. 2 USC at 2 p.m., at Fort Lauderdale Beach.

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