DELAND, Fla. - The FGCU beach volleyball team (15-11) defeated Jacksonville 3-1, but fell 3-0 to North Florida in the consolation final of the ASUN tournament to finish third as its season came to a conclusion. The tournament was held at Cooper Beach on the campus of Stetson University

"It's a tough way to finish, but I am so proud of the way we competed this afternoon," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "The execution level was much higher today in both matches, and we improved on the things we highlighted from yesterday."

The Eagles won a program-record 15 matches for the second consecutive season. The No. 2 junior duo of Karissa Rhoades and Katherine Puisis broke the program's single season wins record with 17. Senior Ashley Glickert and sophomore Giovanna Borgiotti won a program record eight consecutive matches at No. 3 to finish the year and tallied 16 wins.

The No. 4 pair of Kayla Whetstone and Snowy Burnam won a freshman record 16 matches. Senior Mackenzie Allen teamed with junior Amanda Carroll to tie a career-high with 12 wins at the No. 1 pair. The team also captured the program's first win over a ranked opponent earlier this season.

"Our seniors have played such a big role in our team's successes over the past few years, " Botsford said. "It's tough to say goodbye. I'm so appreciative of their efforts and commitment to this program over the years."

In the win over Jacksonville, Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) and Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) picked up win No. 17 with a consistent 21-11, 21-11 victory at No. 2. Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) and Glickert (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central HS) then edged Mackenzie Swan and Cristina Finana 24-22, 21-19 at No. 3 for their 16th win. Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) and Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS) opened the match with a 23-21, 21-7 win at No. 4.

While the duo of Cortney VanLiew and Kaitlan Krivdo lost at No. 5, the No. 1 pair of Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) and Allen (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) saw their match go unfinished.

In the matchup against North Florida, the Eagles suffered a pair of tough losses at No. 4 and 5. Burnam and Whetstone held a 13-9 lead midway through the first set, but the Ospreys battled for a 21-18, 21-18 win. At No. 5, Krivdo (Hope Mills, N.C./Grays Creek HS) and VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) won a thrilling 23-21 opening set, but fell 21-18, 15-9 in the next two as North Florida took a 2-0 lead.

In the second round, the Eagles nearly won the first three sets of each match as they took the openers at No. 2 and No. 3. Allen and Carroll, however, fell 28-26 in the first set after fighting off six set points. North Florida's Carina Hoff and Courtney Miller then won 21-18 in the second set to end the match as No. 2 and 3 went unfinished.

Borgiotti and Glickert were named to the all-tournament team. They went 3-0 this weekend and last recorded a loss on April 4. It is the sixth straight season the Eagles have placed one pair on the team - joining Madi Wilcox and Leigh Pudwill in 2017, Wilcox and Elisa Anne Aldrich in 2016, Mackenzie Allen and Caroline Jordan in 2015, Kaitlin Holm and Whitney Masters in 2014 and Holm and Masters in 2013.

"Gio and Ashley have improved each week of this season, so it really is no surprise that they played so well in this event," Botsford said. "They have responded to every big moment throughout the year and continued that trend over the past two days."

NOTES
Today's matches were played only until clinch due to potentially bad weather in the area. There was rain on and off throughout the day.

FGCU has now either tied or set a new single season wins record the past three years, winning 11 in 2016, 15 in 2017 and 15 more this year.

Carroll and Allen conclude their time together at FGCU with a 3-7 record in ASUN tournament play. Carroll will be back for her senior year, but Allen finishes her career with five career postseason wins. Borgiotti and Glickert, meanwhile, improved to 5-2 all-time together in the tournament. Glickert, a senior, finished her career with six postseason wins including previous partners. Rhoades and Puisis, who have been named First Team All-ASUN the past two seasons, will be back next year carrying a 3-4 record in postseason play.

As a team, FGCU is now 3-1 all-time against Jacksonville and 2-7 against North Florida in tournament history.

Stetson and North Florida, who have split the past six ASUN championships, will meet in this year's final. FGCU (2017) is one of only two teams aside from Stetson and North Florida to have a runner-up finish.

FGCU 3, Jacksonville 1
1. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) vs Dees/Krawczyk (Jacksonville) 23-21, 16-13, unfinished
2. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) d. Petersen/Mattingly (Jacksonville) 21-11, 21-11
3. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) d. Swan/Finan (Jacksonville) 24-22, 21-19
4. Burnam/Whetstone (FGCU) d. Befus/Salapek (Jacksonville) 23-21, 21-7
5. Siegrist/Babowicz (Jacksonville) d. Krivdo/VanLiew (FGCU) 21-17, 21-13

North Florida 3, FGCU 0
1. Hoff/Miller (North Florida) d. Carroll/Allen (FGCU) 28-26, 21-18
2. Rhoades/Puisis (FGCU) vs Griffey/Howard (North Florida) 21-17, 18-21, 8-7, unfinished
3. Borgiotti/Glickert (FGCU) vs Pase/Workman (North Florida) 21-17, 20-22, 3-5, unfinished
4. McCarty/DeBolt (North Florida) d. Burnam/Whetstone (FGCU) 21-18, 21-18
5. Waggoner/Justice (North Florida) d. Krivdo/VanLiew (FGCU) 21-23, 21-18, 15-9

2018 ASUN Beach Volleyball All-Tournament Team
Sunniva Helland-Hansen/Rebecca Ingram - Stetson (Pair of the Tournament)
Quinci Birker/Rebecca Ingram - Stetson
Madilyn McCarty/Nicole DeBolt - North Florida
Morgan Dees/Katie Krawczyk - Jacksonville
Giovanna Borgiotti/Ashley Glickert - FGCU

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.

COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford, who is also the head coach of the FGCU indoor volleyball program, just completed his fifth season at the helm of the FGCU beach volleyball program in 2018. In his tenure, the team has compiled a 46-58 record, and he's improved or steadied the team's win total each season. In fact, he led the program to 11 wins in 2016, 15 in 2017 and 15 more in 2018 - all three of which either tied or set new records for most wins in a season. The beach volleyball program will enter just its eighth season in 2019 and has an overall record of 57-73. 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.