BOCA RATON, Fla. - Beach Volleyball (2-2) finished their first meet of the 2026 season on Friday and Saturday, going 2-2 in the four matches the Panthers played over the two-day event.
The Panthers began with a hard-fought matchup against Boise State, dropping the contest 3-2. Madison Hobbs and Marta Vildere won FIU's first point of the season on court five, beating their counterparts in straight sets, 21-17 and 22-20. After BSU took a 2-1 lead, Isabella Pereira and Kendra Brown claimed the tying point for the Panthers on court three. The pair won in three sets, winning the first and third sets after dropping the second (21-17, 14-21, 15-11).
The Panthers bounced back in their second matchup of the day, winning their first match of the season against Palm Beach Atlantic, 4-1. Nikelle Lander and Sarah Boyle started FIU off with a win on court five in straight sets, 21-9 and 21-15. Elizabeth Nye and Hailey Prodan continued the winning ways on court four in straight sets as well, 21-16 and 21-19. Isabella Pereira and Kendra Brown won their second match of the day together, again on court three, 21-10 and 21-16, before Katarina Drozd and Brianna Luoma clinched the fourth point for the Panthers. The two Preseason All-CUSA recipients won their first match of the year in straight sets, 21-10 and 23-21.
The Panthers started day two of the Boca Beach Bash with a victory over Coastal Carolina, beating the Chanticleers, 3-2. After Coastal Carolina started off the match with a win, Elizabeth Nye and Hailey Prodan tied the dual on court four. The pair won in two close sets, 21-19 and 26-24. Isabella Pereira and Kendra Brown won their third match of the meet together on court three, winning in straight sets 21-15 and 21-8. Coastal Carolina tied the match at two-a-piece, but Katarina Drozd and Brianna Luoma sealed the victory on court one in three sets. The pair won the first (21-13) before dropping the second (19-21), but pulled out the victory for the Panthers with a 15-9 victory in the third set.
The Panthers' final match of the meet came against the host-school, No. 15 Florida Atlantic, falling to the Owls 3-2. FIU took an early 2-0 deficit, but Isabella Pereira and Kendra Brown grabbed their fourth win of the meet on court three. The duo dropped their first set before dominating set two (21-11) and giving the Panthers their first point with a win in set three (15-8). Hannah Gubik and Nicole Robinson tied the dual up on court two, winning in straight sets 21-13 and 21-16, but the Panthers could not complete the reverse-sweep, narrowly falling to the No. 15 team in the country.
UP NEXT
The Panthers will host their first meet of the season, welcoming Palm Beach Atlantic and Palm Beach State to the FIU Beach Volleyball Courts for a one day tri-meet on Saturday, February 28. FIU will play Palm Beach State at 9 a.m., before facing off against Palm Beach Atlantic at 1 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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