TALLAHASSEE, Florida (April 9, 2021) – For the first time in program history, the FIU beach volleyball program beat Florida State in Tallahassee as the 15th-ranked Panthers knocked off the third-ranked Seminoles and snapped FSU's 22-match home winning streak. FIU upset FSU 3-2, after beating Coastal Carolina earlier in the day, 4-1.
"This was a big step closer to getting a bid to Nationals, and my ladies earned every point," head coach Rita Buck-Crockett said. "We still have two duals to go in this tournament, so we have celebrated the two victories today and have already reset for tomorrow. I'm very proud of the team, as I will always believe in them!"
FIU had three pairs go undefeated on Friday, with Roberta Ribeiro and two-time AVCA All-American Federica Frasca leading the charge on court one. Paige Kalkhoff and Abbie Hughes, along with new duo Lina Bernier and Ali Denney also earned perfect records on Friday.
The Panthers continue play in Tallahassee on Saturday, as FIU battles North Florida at 11:30 a.m., before closing out the tournament versus No. 13 FAU at 2 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUVolleyball on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook or @FIUBeachVB on Twitter, @FIU_Beach on Instagram and @FIUBeach on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
FIU 4, Coastal Carolina 1
1. FRASCA, Federica/RIBEIRO, Roberta (FIU) def. Drobnjak, Irena/Svobodova, Sarlota (CCU) 20-22, 21-12, 15-5
2. Campbell, Lucy/Kragholm, Martine (CCU) def. LIPSCOMB, Gina/BRANDSTETTER, Sophia (FIU) 22-20, 21-13
3. BERNIER, Lina/DENNEY, Ali (FIU) def. Riedell, Sarah/Lukacs, Kendra (CCU) 21-12, 21-12
4. HUGHES, Abbie/KALKHOFF, Paige (FIU) def. Hanford, Ellie/Ginther, Carli (CCU) 21-11, 21-15
5. MANCINELLI, Rachele/BIANCHI, Giada (FIU) def. Eske, Kalin/Allred, Madison (CCU) 21-13, 21-16
#15 FIU 3, #3 Florida State 2
1. FRASCA, Federica/RIBEIRO, Roberta (FIU) def. Molly McBain/Alaina Chacon (FSU) 14-21, 21-15, 15-11
2. Torrey Van Winden/Keara Rutz (FSU) def. BRANDSTETTER, Sophia/LIPSCOMB, Gina (FIU) 21-11, 21-15
3. BERNIER, Lina/DENNEY, Ali (FIU) def. Maddie Anderson/Sara Putt (FSU) 21-13, 12-21, 15-12
4. HUGHES, Abbie/KALKHOFF, Paige (FIU) def. Payton Caffrey/Liz Waters-Leiga (FSU) 21-16, 17-21, 18-16
5. Jenna Johnson/Kate Privett (FSU) def. MANCINELLI, Rachele/BIANCHI, Giada (FIU) 21-17, 21-13
