ESTERO, Fla. – In what has already been a groundbreaking season for the FGCU beach volleyball team, the Eagles look to end the regular season on a high-note Tuesday against the FAU Owls. The final regular season contest of the 2016 season begins at 4 p.m. at Estero Community Park against the in-state rivals from Boca Raton.

LAST TIME OUT
Having already matched a program record with six wins, the Green and Blue took to the beaches of Siesta Key to face South Carolina, UAB, and College of Charleston last weekend. FGCU opened the weekend with an impressive 4-1 win over South Carolina Saturday afternoon. Behind wins from Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, IL/Mundelein High School) and Elisa Anne Aldrich (Charleston, S.C./Wando High School) at No. 4 and Katherine Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason High School) and Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) at No. 5, the Eagles took an early 2-0 lead.

Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) and Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) kept the momentum going, clinching the match before Eleonora Kazarian (Tibilisi, Georgia/College of Central Florida) and Vanessa Benke (Toledo, Brazil/College of Central Florida) capped the early match with a win at No. 1 to complete the 4-1 victory.

The Green and Blue received wins from every pairing against the Blazers, sweeping UAB 5-0 Saturday evening. Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) and Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior High School) joined in on the celebrations, claiming their match at No. 3 in the sweep.

FGCU secured its fifth-straight win against the Cougars of College of Charleston Sunday morning. Behind another fantastic start from No. 4 and No. 5, the Eagles controlled the match early. It was the pairings of Aldrich and Wilcox along with Pudwill and Puisis that propelled FGCU to an early 2-0 lead.

Rhoades and Glickert then clinched the win for FGCU before Carroll and Allen ended the day with a win of their own for the 4-1 win.

SCOUTING THE OWLS
FAU makes the trip to Fort Myers with a 12-11 record following a 3-2 weekend on Siesta Key. FAU has wins over North Florida, Stetson, Eckerd and Webber International this season, however the Owls have lost to South Carolina twice.

FGCU is 3-3 all-time against the Owls. After winning the first two matches, FAU took two of the three duals in 2014 before taking the lone match in 2015.

UP NEXT
FGCU travels to Emerson, Ga. for the 2016 Atlantic Sun Championships beginning April 22 at Lake Point Sporting Community.

FOLLOW ALONG
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_BeachVB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford is in his second year at the helm of the FGCU volleyball program and his teams have combined for an overall 40-22 (.645) record, including a 21-7 (.750) mark in A-Sun play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place finish in the A-Sun. Botsford has also coached 10 All-Conference selections in just two seasons at FGCU. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, 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.