ESTERO, Fla. – In its first competition of the 2015 season, the FGCU sand volleyball team fell to Stetson in both matches of a mid-day double header Friday at the Estero Community Park. FGCU begins the season at 0-2 with a pair of 4-1 losses, while Stetson improves to 9-1 on the year.
 
The no. 5 pair of Olivia Mesner (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River High School) and Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein High School) earned the team's only wins of the day with two 2-0 victories. Mesner and Wilcox earned a win in the first match by a 21-15, 21-15 score and improved to 2-0 on the season with a 21-17, 21-18 win in the second bout of the day.
 
"We played one of the best teams in the state today and I think the team fought hard and made a lot of nice plays," said assistant coach Chris Sweat. "I am very pleased with some of the things I saw from the team today and I'm looking forward to our match tomorrow now that the season has officially begun."
 
Whitney Masters (Muncie, Ind./Wapahani High School) and Eleonora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) took the sand as the Eagles' no. 1 pair for the 2015 season but fell by a 2-0 count to the Stetson no. 1 pair in both matches. Stetson's team returns as the defending Atlantic Sun Conference champions and boasts a heavy lineup of returners.
 
Despite strong play, the Eagles fell in the top four positions. Freshman Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central High School) and Marlene Moeller (Ludinghausen, Germany/Pascal Gymnasium) put together a challenge for Stetson as the pair fought to a close 21-19 score in the first set but fell behind 21-7 in the second set as the no. 2 pair.
 
The Eagles will continue A-Sun action with another two-match day as the team hosts Jacksonville Saturday, Mar. 21. The first match is slated for 10 a.m. at Estero Community Park.
 
MATCH ONE
1. Melville/Bassett (STETSON) def. Masters/Kazarian (FGCU) 21-13, 21-13
2. Rygh/Lind (STETSON) def. Glickert/Moeller (FGCU) 21-19, 21-7
3. Reschke/Byl (STETSON) def. Allen/Jordan (FGCU) 21-8, 21-9
4. Akins/Anderson (STETSON) def. Gutmann/Joslin (FGCU) 21-12, 21-11
5. Mesner/Wilcox (FGCU) def. Tormey/Marin (STETSON) 21-15, 21-15
 
MATCH TWO
1. Melville/Bassett (STETSON) def. Masters/Kazarian (FGCU) 21-10, 21-17
2. Rygh/Lind (STETSON) def. Glickert/Moeller (FGCU) 21-14, 21-9
3. Reschke/Byl (STETSON) def. Allen/Jordan (FGCU) 21-8, 21-11
4. Akins/Anderson (STETSON) def. Joslin/Gutmann (FGCU) 21-13, 21-16
5. Mesner/Wilcox (FGCU) def. White/Kalin (STETSON) 21-17, 21-18
 
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
Head coach Matt concluded his first year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program with a record of 19-11 with a second-place finish in Atlantic Sun Conference play. Botsford's team also had five players recognized as All-Conference winner to set a new program high. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUIPI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. Botsford is a former professional volleyball player and is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University, where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education.  He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.