MIAMI – For the first time this season, the FIU beach volleyball tandem of Federica Frasca (Rome, Italy) and Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy) have earned Pair of the Week honors, from the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association, the conference announced on Wednesday.

The duo, one of the most dangerous in collegiate beach volleyball, recorded an impressive weekend for the Panthers at the East Meets West Invitational in Manhattan Beach, California, March 9-10. The Italian tandem posted an impressive 3-1 record during what will probably be one of the most difficult weekends of the season. Frasca and Bianchin defeated the No. 1 pair in the nation at the two position, Sarah Sponcil and Lily Justine of top-ranked UCLA, 21-18, 21-17 on the number two court.

Frasca and Bianchin also defeated No. 5 Hawaii's Morgan Martin and Amy Ozee (21-19, 21-18) and No. 3 Pepperdine's Deahna Kraft and Brooke Bauer (22-20, 10-21, 15-13), with both duals taking place at the No. 1 position.

Their lone loss of the weekend was a 21-14, 21-13, 16-14 three-set affair against No. 2 USC's Sammy Slater and Terese Cannon, the second-ranked pair at the No. 2 position.

Bianchin and Frasca are 55-14 all-time as a tandem.

FIU, 5-4 on the season and currently ranked No. 8 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 20 poll, will host the first of two tournaments in South Florida, beginning on March 15, when they face Florida Atlantic at 10 a.m. and USC at 2 p.m., at Fort Lauderdale Beach.


#####

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUVolleyball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUBeach) 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).