JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The FGCU beach volleyball team started off conference play with a bang, downing UNF and JU in an ASUN doubleheader on Friday afternoon. The Eagles advance to 9-2 on the season, while North Florida slides to 5-8 and Jacksonville slides to 5-10.
 
"I'm very happy we came away with two conference wins today against two strong opponents," said assistant coach Chris Sweat. "Each match was close until the end and the hard work the girls have been putting in at practice really showed when it mattered. Everyone fought hard all day and it showed with the number of third set wins we had today. I'm really proud of the way the weekend started."
 
NORTH FLORIDA
The Green and Blue downed the Osprey by a score of 3-2 in their morning match with victories from pairs 2, 3 and 5.
 
In the first group of matches, No. 5 pair Caroline Jordan (Orlando, Fla./William R. Boone HS) and Halie Wekmeister (Spring Hill, Fla./Weeki Wachee HS) took down UNF's Shannon McPherson and Nicole DeBolt in two sets (21-19, 21-11).
 
Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) and Kaitlan Krivdo (Hope Mills, N.C./Grays Creek HS) joined forces for the first time and battled through three sets, but ultimately fell to the Ospreys No. 4 pair, Brittany Base and Gabby O'Connell.
 
No. 1 pair Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) and Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) fell 13-21 and 19-21 to their North Florida counterparts, while Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) snagged a win in three sets at No. 2.
 
Dynamic duo Katie Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) sealed the Eagles victory from the No. 3 position after grinding out three sets with UNF's Chaney Howard and Lauren Gainer.
 
FGCU 3, UNF 2
1. Miller/Raicevic (UNF) def. Allen/Carroll (FGCU) 21-13, 21-19
2. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) def. Hoff/Ferguson (UNF) 22-20, 17-21, 15-10
3. Puisis/Rhoades (FGCU) def. Howard/Gainer (UNF) 21-11, 15-21, 15-12
4. Pase/O'Connell (UNF) def. Wilcox/Krivdo (FGCU) 13-21, 21-19, 15-11
5. Jordan/Werkmeister (FGCU) def. McPherson/DeBolt (UNF) 21-19, 21-11
 
JACKSONVILLE
In their afternoon match, the Eagles took down the Dolphins 4-1 with victories from pairs 1, 3, 4 and 5.
 
Jordan and Werkmeister snagged another win for the Green and Blue, this time in three sets, by scores of 21-14, 19-21 and 15-5.
 
Wilcox and Krivdo followed suit with their first win as a pair.
 
After a tough morning, No. 1 pair Allen and Carroll found their rhythm and easily defeated the Dolphins with 21-12 and 21-13 set wins to clinch the Eagles victory.
 
Puisis and Rhoades came out on top once again with a win over Jacksonville's No. 3 pair after two tight sets (21-18, 21-19).
 
Borgiotti and Glickert fought hard, but finally fell to their JU counterparts after a 16-14 loss in the third set.
 
FGCU 4, Jacksonville 1
1. Allen/Carroll (FGCU) def. Swan/Dees (JU) 21-12, 21-13
2. Finan/Babowicz (JU) def. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) 21-18, 16-21, 16-14
3. Puisis/Rhoades (FGCU) def. Krawczyk/Gesualdo (JU) 21-18, 21-19
4. Wilcox/Krivdo (FGCU) def. Widener/Wehner (JU) 19-21, 21-18, 15-10
5. Jordan/Werkmeister (FGCU) def. Reiser/McMahon (JU) 21-14, 19-21, 15-5
 
Tomorrow the Eagles continue their weekend stretch with two more matches against Jacksonville and UNF. Action begins at 10 a.m.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford begins his fourth season at the helm of FGCU beach volleyball in 2017. Last season, Botsfords squad produced a program-high 11 wins. In three seasons, his beach teams have combined for an overall record of 23-38 (.377). In 2016, Botsford's indoor squad produced one of its most successful seasons ever at 27-6, with the win total representing the most in Division I program history and falling two shy of the all-time mark. His teams have combined for an overall 65-27 (.707) record, including a 32-10 (.762) mark in ASUN play. In his inaugural season, the Eagles finished with a record of 19-11 with a second-place ASUN finish. Botsford has coached 15 All-Conference selections in his three seasons. 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. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.