HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (April 29, 2022) – With its back against the wall, the No. 13 FIU beach volleyball team staved off elimination on Friday by downing the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and the UAB Blazers to advance to the semifinals of the Conference USA Beach Volleyball Championship.
 
The Panthers will face No. 10 FAU at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday with a spot against No. 15 Georgia State on the line in the championship match. The semifinal can be stream on ESPN+.
 
On the court, FIU outlasted Coastal 3-2 before a dominating 4-1 victory over UAB in the nightcap.
 
Led by the All-American pairing of Paige Kalkhoff and Giada Bianchi, FIU had three different pairings go undefeated on Friday.
 
Kalkhoff and Bianchi made quick of both the Chanticleers and Blazers by downing Coastal Carolina 21-17, 21-13 before prevailing 21-15, 21-11 over UAB.
 
The FIU duo of Emily Meyer and Zuzanna Bielak did not drop a set on Friday while the pairing of Kendall Mather and Lisa Luini went the distance against Coastal Carolina before toppling the Chanticleers 18-21, 21-14, 15-11.
 
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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.
 
#13 FIU Panthers 3, Coastal Carolina 2
1. Paige Kalkhoff/Giada Bianchi (FIU) def. Kragholm, Martine/Riedell, Sarah (CCU) 21-17, 21-13
2. Drobnjak, Irena/Hanford, Ellie (CCU) def. Roberta Ribeiro/Rachele Mancinelli (FIU) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11
3. Emily Meyer/Zuzanna Bielak (FIU) def. Honzovicova, Natalie/Sanchez, Elena (CCU) 21-11, 21-14
4. Kendall Mather/Lisa Luini (FIU) def. Lichty, Madie/Allred, Madison (CCU) 18-21, 21-14, 15-11
5. Ginther, Carli/Ehlers, Raychel (CCU) def. Gina Lipscomb/Anna Davis (FIU) 21-15, 21-17
 
#13 FIU Panthers 4, UAB 1
1. Paige Kalkhoff/Giada Bianchi (FIU) def. Rachel Tam/Adriana Pereira (UAB) 21-15, 21-11
2. Roberta Ribeiro/Rachele Mancinelli (FIU) def. Adren Copping/Mikayla Law-Heese (UAB) 21-18, 17-21, 15-8
3. Emily Meyer/Zuzanna Bielak (FIU) def. Naomi Ortiz/Dylynn Otte (UAB) 21-15, 21-14
4. Kendall Mather/Lisa Luini (FIU) def. Jenna Gathright/Emma Andraka (UAB) 21-16, 21-10
5. Jessica Ennis/Ella Alexander (UAB) def. Gina Lipscomb/Anna Davis (FIU) 21-18, 21-16