ESTERO, Fla. – The FGCU beach volleyball team (13-7, 6-4 conf.) fell 5-0 to No. 14 FIU (21-12, 8-5 conf.) in its final tune-up before the ASUN Championship. Out of the five individual matches, the Eagles pushed two to a third set, and out of the 12 sets played, eight were decided by three points or less.
 
"We had some really close matches this evening, and I love the way our teams competed," said head coach Matt Botsford. "FIU is a physical group with a lot of experience, so this was a great test heading into the conference tournament. It will be nice to get a few more training sessions in, but I know these girls are eager for Saturday."
 
Tonight, senior Caroline Jordan (Orlando, Fla./William R. Boone HS) teamed up with Kaitlan Krivdo (Hope Mills, N.C./Grays Creek HS) as the No. 5 pair. The duo kept things tight in their first set, but fell 21-18 to FIU's Bela Sataric and Teffy Bethancourt. In the second, the Panthers pair really found their rhythm, downing the Eagles in a quick 21-13 set to take the match.
 
Things looked quite similar for the senior tandem of Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) and
Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) at No. 4. The pair fought hard in their first set, but fell 21-18 before dropping a more lopsided second set by a score of 21-10.
 
All of the final three matches came down to the wire. At No. 1, Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) and
 Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) found themselves swapping leads with Panthers pair Margherita Bianchin and Federica Frasca, but wound up on the wrong side of back-to-back 21-19 sets.
 
Both the No. 2's and No. 3's finished in three sets. From No. 2, Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and
 Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) captured a quick 21-11 win before falling in extras in their second set by a score of 23-21. The Panthers got on a hot streak near the end of the third set to down the freshman-junior duo 15-9 and take the match.
 
Pair No. 3, Katie Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) suffered a similar fate. The Eagle's winningest pair this season, Puisis and Rhoades took the first set 21-18, but turned around and dropped set two by the same score. The team traded leads with its FIU counterpart down the stretched by fell just shy by a score of 15-13.
 
FIU 5, FGCU 0
1. Bianchin/Frasca (FIU) def. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) 21-19, 21-19
2. Friesen/Thomas (FIU) def. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) 11-21, 23-21, 15-9
3. Giron/Thelle (FIU) def. Puisis/Rhoades (FGCU) 18-21, 21-18, 15-13
4. Bernier/Hogan (FIU) def. Wilcox/Pudwill (FGCU) 21-18, 21-10
5. Sataric/Bethancourt (FIU) def. Krivdo/Jordan (FGCU) 21-18, 21-13
Order of finish: Doubles (5,4,1,2,3)
 
NEXT UP
FGCU will turn its attention back to the conference this weekend for the ASUN Championship on Saturday, Apr. 22 and Sunday, Apr. 23 in Deland Fla.
 
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 30-44 (.405). 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