Jacksonville, Fla. – The No. 13 FIU Beach Volleyball team (2-0) started out the season undefeated during their first day of the 2024 Jacksonville Invite. The Panthers' first match of the day came against Coastal Carolina, winning 3-2. FIU's second match against University of North Florida was much of the same, beating the Ospreys 3-2.

All six wins on the day came at the hands of the Panthers' top-3 pairs, led by senior Giada Bianchi and graduate student Reka Orsi Toth on court one. The pair of Italian natives crushed their competition, first beating Coastal Carolina's top pair in straight sets, with both scores being 21-10. The pair dominated against UNF as well, once again winning in straight sets, both scores being 21-15.

Graduate student Alice Pratesi and junior Lisa Luini stole the show on court two, winning in straight sets over the Chanticleers in their first match of the day 21-16 and 21-19. The pair stayed on court two against UNF, dropping one game but winning the best-out-of-three matchup for their second victory of the invite. 

Junior Zuzanna Bielak and graduate student Lucie Pokorna, both captains of FIU's Beach Volleyball team, boasted wins in both their matchups on the day, both coming on court three. The pair dropped their first game against Coastal Carolina before winning their next two straight to bring home a victory for the Panthers. In their next bout against UNF, the pair won in straight sets, securing a win for the Panthers and ensuring the No. 13 team in the country starts their season undefeated.

#13 FIU 3, Coastal Carolina 2

1. Giada Bianchi/Reka Orsi Toth (FIU) def. Sarah Riedell/ Martine Kragholm (CC): 21-10, 21-10

2. Alice Pratesi/Lisa Luini (FIU) def. Emma Plutnicki/Julia Blazek (CC): 21-16, 21-19

3. Zuzanna Bielak/Lucie Pokorna (FIU) def. Ellie Hanford/ Emma Kunaus (CC): 21-19, 21-14, 15-12

4. Madison Allred/Raychel Ehlers (CC) def. Hania Taduran/Emma Braticevic (FIU): 21-14, 21-14

5. Denisse Morgenstern/Madie Lichty (CC) def. Zoe Cahill/ Maria Fernanda Vinatea Sánchez (FIU): 21-16, 21-15

6. Annika Castellanos/Ariana Castro (FIU) def. Riley Melto/Elena Sanchez (CC): 21-14, 22-20, 15-11

 

#13 FIU 3, University of North Florida 2

1. Giada Bianchi/Reka Orsi Toth (FIU) def. Michaela Rezentes/Taylor Pierce (UNF): 21-15, 21-15

2. Alice Pratesi/Lisa Luini (FIU) def. Presley Murray/Madison Espy (UNF): 21-17, 21-18, 15-13

3. Zuzanna Bielak/Lucie Pokorna (FIU) def. Hallie Phelan/Iris Fletcher (UNF): 21-10, 21-17

4. Mariana Feliciano Sanchez/Mackenzie Murphy (UNF) def. Hania Taduran/Paola Alvarado (FIU): 23-21, 21-15

5. Madeline Camp/Katie Camp (UNF) def. Ariana Castro/ Annika Castellanos (FIU): 21-6, 21-13

6. Cameron Humphries/Hayden Wooldridge (UNF) def. Maria Fernanda Vinatea Sánchez/ Zoe Cahill (FIU): 29-27, 21-16

UP NEXT

The Panthers will compete in game two of the Jacksonville Invite tomorrow, February 25. They will match up against the like of University of Tennessee-Chattanooga at 10 a.m., Palm Beach Atlantic at 2 p.m. and Jacksonville University at 4 p.m.

SOCIAL MEDIA 

Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUbeach on Instagram, or @FIUBeachVB on Twitter, and @FIUBeach on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.

 

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