The Basics
- The No. 8 FIU beach volleyball team split a pair of duals during its one-day FIU Invitational at Ft. Lauderdale, held at the Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park on Friday afternoon. The Panthers defeated Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) foe, and No. 16-ranked Florida Atlantic, 4-1, in the first dual of the day, before dropping a 4-1 decision to No. 2 USC. FIU moves to 6-5 on the year and to 2-0 in CCSA play with its win over the Owls.

Dual One Details
FIU 4, Florida Atlantic 1 
FIU (6-4, 2-0 CCSA), Florida Atlantic (6-2, 3-3 CCSA)
Rankings: FIU – ACVA No. 8/DiG No. 8, Florida Atlantic – ACVA No. 16/DiG No. 12
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park

- The Panthers pounced on the Owls early, taking the first three matchups, on courts four, five and one, and securing the dual victory before Florida Atlantic earned a point with a win on court number two. FIU took all four of its wins in straight sets.   

- Federica Frasca (Rome, Italy) and Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy) took the deciding dual at the number one spot with a 21-13, 21-11.

- Dorina Klinger (Feldkirchen, Austria) and Katie Friesen (Manitoba, Canada), playing as a tandem for the first time this season, won their first contest of the year with a 21-18, 21-14 victory on court four. In addition, Lina Bernier (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Erika Zembyla (Nicosia, Cyprus) won on court five (22-20, 24-22), and Ali Denney (Jupiter, Florida) and Abbie Hughes (Mason, Ohio) closed out the morning against the Owls with a win on court three (21-13, 21-11).

Results
No. 1 – Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Carly Scarbrough/Nicole Navarro (FAU), 21-13, 21-11
No. 2 – Mackenzie Morris /Erica Brok (FAU) def. Helene Thelle/Nina Petronovic (FIU), 21-11, 21-18
No. 3 – Ali Denny/Abbie Hughes (FIU) def. Amanda Silva/Nicole Grant (FAU), 21-13, 21-17
No. 4 – Dorina Klinger/Katie Friesen (FIU) def. Kaila Dorish/Savannah Pesante (FAU), 21-18, 21-14
No. 5 – Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Megan McGrath (FAU)/Jilliene Cangelo (FAU), 22-20, 24-22
Exh. – Ashlan Cunningham /Sam Gott (FAU) def. Brooke McDermott/Maddie Besterfield (FIU), 17-21, 21-19, 15-8
 
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3

Dual Two Details
USC 4, FIU 1 
FIU (6-5), USC (13-2)
Rankings: FIU – ACVA No. 8/DiG No. 8, USC – ACVA No. 2/DiG No. 2
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park

- The Panthers fell in their final dual of the FIU Invitational at Ft. Lauderdale, 4-1, to No. 2 USC. It was the second meeting against the Women of Troy in the last week.

- FIU took the first point of the dual, with Lina Bernier and Erika Zembyla winning in straight sets on court five, 21-19, 21-13. Unfortunately, for the Panthers, that would be the only point they would be able to produce against USC.

- Despite the 4-1 setback, the Panthers went to three sets on courts one and four. Federica Frasca and Margherita Bianchin dropped a tough 16-21, 27-25, 15-13 decision at the number one position, and Ali Denney and Abbie Hughes fell at the number four spot, 21-19, 6-21, 15-13.

Results
No. 1 – Tina Graudina/Abril Bustamante (USC) vs. Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU), 16-21, 27-25, 15-13
No. 2 – Sammy Slater/Terese Cannon (USC) def. Helene Thelle/Brooke McDermott (FIU), 21-16, 21-13
No. 3 – Alexandra Poletto/Haley Hallgren (USC) def. Dorina Klinger/Katie Friesen (FIU), 22-20, 21-13
No. 4 – Joy Denis/Dorn Cammie (USC) def. Ali Denny/Abbie Hughes (FIU), 21-19, 6-21, 15-13
No. 5 – Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Mollie Ebertin/Maja Kaiser (USC), 21-19, 21-13
Ext. – Madison Besterfield/Mariana Dal Pozzo (FIU) def. Hannah Martin/Karina Myszkowski (USC), 21-13, 21-14
 
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1

UP NEXT
FIU is back in action on March 23, at the FAU Beach Bash in Boca Raton, Florida. The Panthers will take on Tampa at 10 a.m. and North Alabama at 4 p.m.

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