SAVANNAH, Ga. '" The Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball team won its first two matches Friday in the Armstrong Atlantic State Pirate Volleyball Classic in Savannah, Ga. FGCU (8-1) shut out Francis Marion 3-0 before rallying to knock off previously unbeaten Presbyterian College 3-2.
In the first match, the Eagles posted their sixth shutout in eight matches with a 30-20, 30-23 and 30-18 win over the Patriots (7-3). Sophomore outside hitter
Brooke Youngquist (Fort Myers, FL) posted a double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs. Youngquist also collected two service aces. Junior middle blocker
Ericka Fonseca (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) added 10 kills. Starting setter
Ciara Sandoval (Fort Myers, FL) handed out 38 assists and added three digs. Sophomore
Whitney Hendry (Fort Myers, FL) yet again led the Eagles in digs as their starting libero with 28.
Against Presbyterian (9-1), the Eagles dropped game one 28-30 but rallied back in the next four games 35-33, 30-15, 29-31 and 17-15. Presbyterian, coming off a 2004 NCAA tournament appearance, had won 27 of its first 29 games in its first nine matches of the season prior to facing FGCU.
Senior
Devon Watts (Somerville, TX) posted her fifth double-double of the season, knocking down 21 kills and collecting 19 digs to go with two assists and four blocks. Youngquist had 20 kills and 20 digs for her fourth double-double of the year. Fonseca added 20 kills and senior outside hitter
Lori Brooks (Naples, Fla.) had 12 as FGCU had a season-high 84 kills en route to a .250 hitting percentage.
Junior setter
Laura Manovill (Dunedin, FL) played in the final four games of the Presbyterian match and promptly handed out an amazing 50 assists. Manovill also collected 11 digs, two kills and one service ace. Hendry again led in digs for the Eagles with 45, breaking her previous school record of 38, set last season. Hendry becomes just the 12th player in the country to record at least 45 digs in a single-match this fall.
The Eagles will play the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras and Wingate University tomorrow in Saturday'™s final day of tournament action. The Eagles will return home on Wednesday, September 14 to host Palm Beach Atlantic.
