ESTERO, Fla. – Despite a valiant effort, the FGCU beach volleyball team (13-6, 6-4 ASUN) dropped back-to-back matches to No. 9 Stetson (17-10, 10-0 ASUN) in its final ASUN doubleheader of the regular season. The Eagles fell in their first match – which began early to avoid bad weather – 4-1, before getting swept in their second match by the ASUN leaders.
 
"Stetson is a very talented and deep team, so we knew we were going to have to play a great match to be in a position to win," said head coach Matt Botsford. "Unfortunately, we couldn't sustain the level of play necessary to make them uncomfortable and extend some of those games. We played well in spurts, but against a team like that, we must be able to sideout much more effectively, limiting point-runs."
 
STETSON 4, FGCU 1
FGCU pairs 4 and 5 each fell in two sets to open up the match. Senior duo Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) and
Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) dropped back-to-back matches by a score of 21-17, while No. 5 pair Caroline Jordan (Orlando, Fla./William R. Boone HS) and
Halie Wekmeister (Spring Hill, Fla./Weeki Wachee HS) came close with a 21-19 loss in their first set, but weren't able to keep up their energy in the second set resulting in a 21-11 loss.
 
When the second group started, No. 2 pair Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and
 Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) found themselves outmatched by Stetson's Darby Dunn and Kristin Lind, dropping back-to-back 21-10 sets.
 
At No. 3, Katie Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and her partner
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) fought long and hard through extras, but fell just short, resulting in a 31-29 loss in their first set. Stetson's Katey Mersksamer and Kaylee Anderson used the momentum to roll to a 21-15 victory in the second set.
 
No. 1 pair Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) and
 Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) were the only Eagles to sneak away with a win on the evening. They split the first two sets with the Hatters, beginning with a 21-17 loss followed by a 21-10 win. Due to an unfortunate injury, the Hatters were forced to forfeit the third set, handing the W to FGCU.
 
Stetson 4, FGCU 1
1. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) def. Skjelbred/Harris (STET) 17-21, 21-10, 21-0
2. Lind/Dunn (STET) def. Glickert/Borgiotti (FGCU) 21-10, 21-10
3. Merksamer/Anderson (STET) def. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) 31-29, 21-15
4. Creamer/Noble (STET) def. Wilcox/Pudwill (FGCU) 21-17, 21-17
5. Helland-Hansen/Perales (STET) def. Jordan/Werkmeister (FGCU) 21-19, 21-11
Order of finish: (4,5,2,1,3)
*FGCU won court 1 due to injury forfeit
 
STETSON 5, FGCU 0
Stetson moved each pair up one spot and brought in alternates at No. 5 for the second match of the evening to compensate for the injury.
 
The Eagles also changed it up at the No. 5 position, pairing newcomer Werkmeister with Kaitlan Krivdo (Hope Mills, N.C./Grays Creek HS). The new duo made the Hatters fight for it, but still ended up falling short in back-to-back sets.
 
Pairs 3 and 4 struggled to hang with their Stetson counterparts and also dropped two short in two short sets.
 
At No. 2, Glickert and Borgiotti forced their first set to extras before falling 24-22 to the Hatters. They weren't able to produce the same amount of pressure in their second set, resulting in a 21-16 loss.
 
Carroll and Allen looked thrown off guard when they lost a quick 21-7 set to start out their match against Lind and Dunn. They seemed to find their rhythm in the second set, but still fell short at 21-19.
 
Stetson 5, FGCU 0
1. Lind/Dunn (STET) def. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) 21-7, 21-19
2. Anderson/Carroll (STET) def. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) 24-22, 21-16
3. Creamer/Noble (STET) def. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) 21-16, 21-11
4. Perales/Helland-Hansen (STET) def. Wilcox/Pudwill (FGCU) 21-15, 21-12
5. Varga/Durham (STET) def. Krivdo/Werkmeister (FGCU) 21-18, 21-19
Order of finish: (4,5,3,1,2)
 
UP NEXT
FGCU continues its home stand on Tuesday, Apr. 18 with a 4 p.m. match against in-state foe FIU. The event will serve as the team's final tune-up before the ASUN Championship, which begins on Saturday, Apr. 22.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford begins his fourth season at the helm of FGCU beach volleyball. He's already led the team to a program-high 13 wins in 2017. In three seasons, his beach teams have combined for an overall record of 30-43 (.411). 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