DELAND, Fla. – The FGCU beach volleyball team claimed a 3-2 victory over Coastal Carolina before dropping a 3-2 result to Mercer in its first ASUN doubleheader of the weekend. The Eagles finish the day with a record of 12-3 (5-1 ASUN), while Mercer sits at 11-2 (4-1 ASUN) and Coastal Carolina falls to 1-8 (0-3 ASUN).
 
"Conditions were tough this afternoon with some pretty heavy winds throughout the day," head coach Matt Botsford. "I didn't think our ball handling was as sharp as it needed to be and ultimately versus Mercer that became a factor. I was, however, very pleased that we stayed competitive and found ways to extend matches. Now that all three teams know each other a little better, we are going to have to execute at a higher level heading into tomorrow."
 
COASTAL CAROLINA
FGCU defeated the Chanticleers 3-2 with wins from pairs 2, 3 and 5.
 
No. 5 pair Caroline Jordan (Orlando, Fla./William R. Boone HS) and
Halie Wekmeister (Spring Hill, Fla./Weeki Wachee HS) cruised to an easy victory after sets of 21-11 and 21-12.
 
Next, senior tandem Madi Wilcox (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) and
Leigh Pudwill (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial High School/Northern Iowa) dropped back-to-back sets by scores of 21-15 and 21-17.
 
At No. 2, Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and
 Ashley Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo/Parkway Central High School) took the win after Coastal Carolina forfeited due to an injury after the first point.
 
Katie Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) secured the Eagles victory from the No. 3 position with 21-14 and 21-19 wins over Coastal Carolina's Katie Davis and Sara Boothe.
 
No. 1 pair Mackenzie Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) and
 Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia High School) dropped a three-set result by a narrow margin after sets of 18-21, 21-14 and 12-15.
 
FGCU 3, Coastal Carolina 2
1. Savovic/Bishop (COASTAL) def. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) 21-18, 14-21, 15-12
2. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) def. Cahill/Djuric (COASTAL) 21-1, 21-0
3. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) def. Boothe/Davis (COASTAL) 21-14, 21-19
4. Federico/Mandic (COASTAL) def. Wilcox/Pudwill (FGCU) 21-15, 21-17
5. Werkmeister/Jordan (FGCU) def. Lulic/Otto (COASTAL) 21-11, 21-12
*FGCU won court 2 due to injury forfeit
 
MERCER
The Eagles fell to Mercer 2-3 in their second match of the day. Wins came from pairs 2 and 4.
 
FGCU split their first pairs with a three-set victory from Pudwill and Wilcox after a two-set loss from Jordan and Werkmeister.
 
Rhoades and Puisis fell in two sets to Mercer's Danielle Faust and Claire Waliczek.
 
At No. 2, Borgiotti and Glickert battled through three sets to snag their second win of the day. But with the match tied at 2-2, pair 1, Allen and Carroll fell just shy with a loss in three after sets of 15-21, 21-11 and 11-15
 
Mercer 3, FGCU 2
1. Penrod/Krogman (MER) def. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) 21-15, 11-21, 15-11
2. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) def. E. Peel/S. Peel (MER) 23-21, 17-21, 15-13
3. Faust/Waliczek (MER) def. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) 21-19, 21-12
4. Pudwill/Wilcox (FGCU) def. Otten/Johnson (MER) 18-21, 21-8, 15-13
5. Kerr/Watchorn (MER) def. Jordan/Werkmeister (FGCU) 21-12, 21-17
 
Tomorrow the Eagles continue their weekend stretch with two more matches against Coastal Carolina and Mercer. 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 then-program-high 11 wins. In three seasons, his beach teams have combined for an overall record of 25-38 (.397). 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.