WILMINGTON, N.C. - The FGCU beach volleyball team (7-5) split a pair of matches against College of Charleston (4-1) and Tusculum College (5-0) to conclude the Dig and Dive Beach Bash on Sunday.
The Eagles will now open ASUN play with a doubleheader against No. 10 Stetson (14-4) on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m. at Estero Community Park.
"After executing so well yesterday at the end of matches, our play wasn't as consistent today in our first match," FGCU assistant coach
Chris Sweat said. "We started out well but couldn't find the consistency we needed in order to beat a team with the level of talent as College of Charleston. The girls rebounded well in our second match, which I was pleased to see."
The highlight of the day was the continued strong play of No. 3 pair
Snowy Burnam and
Kayla Whetstone, who won two more matches and improved to 10-2 on the season. Not only did they hold their opponents to single digits in three of the four sets, but they tied the record for the best 12-game start to the season since Madi Wilcox and Olivia Mesner did the same en route to a 12-2 start in 2015.
Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) and
Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS) produced the lone victory for the Eagles against undefeated College of Charleston (12-0) by a 21-9, 21-15 result. And they did so against an Amani Dunston-Mandy Napierala tandem that entered 7-1 on the season.
In the finale, though, the Green and Blue won all 10 sets, which included seven where they held Tusculum (4-9) to single-digits. The most resounding victory came from the No. 5 pair of
Emma Hansen (Trophy Club, Texas/Westlake Academy HS) and
Cortney VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS), who allowed just eight total points.
Candace Lacour (Buckeye, Ariz./Verrado HS) and
Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) then allowed just 11 total points at the No. 4 pair to put FGCU up 2-0 through the first round.
After Whetstone and Burnam won 21-9, 21-6 at No. 3 to clinch the win, FGCU's top two pairs finished off the sweep.
Katherine Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) improved to 8-4 on the season from the No. 2 pair, while
Amanda Carroll and
Kirstine Garder (Halden, Norway/Topvolley Norge HS) are now 7-5 at No. 1, tying Borgiotti and Lacour for third-best on the team.
Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS), meanwhile, now has 39 career victories, which moves her past
Mackenzie Allen (2015-18) and
Ashley Glickert (2015-18) for solo possession of fourth-place on the program's career wins list.
Top 5 In Career Wins
49 -
Karissa Rhoades, 2016-present
46 - Madi Wilcox, 2014-17
45 -
Katherine Puisis, 2016-present
39 -
Amanda Carroll, 2016-present
38 -
Mackenzie Allen, 2015-18
38 -
Ashley Glickert, 2015-18
The Green and Blue are now 1-1 all-time against College of Charleston and 1-0 against Tusculum College.
RESULTS
College of Charleston 4, FGCU 1
1. Freed/Madison (CoC) d.
Garder/Carroll 21-16, 21-12
2. Rhodes/Rachel (CoC) d.
Puisis/Rhoades 21-15, 19-21, 15-12
3.
Whetstone/Burnam (FGCU) d. Dunston/Napierala 21-9, 21-15
4. Manusky/Beckman (CoC) d.
Lacour/Borgiotti 21-10, 21-11
5. Foley/Ehlers (CoC) d.
Hansen/VanLiew 21-14, 21-12
FGCU 5, Tusculum 0
1.
Carroll/Garder d. Davis/Mazur 21-19, 21-11
2.
Puisis/Rhoades d. Hall/Gray 21-15, 21-8
3.
Whetstone/Burnam d. Morgan/Vujosevic 21-9, 21-6
4.
Lacour/Borgiotti d. Collins/Clingan 21-4, 21-7
5.
Hansen/VanLiew d. Weems/Ramsey 21-5, 21-3
Next Up
FGCU will return home to open ASUN play with a pair of matches against No. 10 Stetson on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU beach volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_BeachVB.
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford, who is also the head coach of the FGCU indoor volleyball program, is in his sixth season at the helm of the FGCU beach volleyball program in 2019. He has compiled a 48-33 record over the past three-plus seasons (54-62 overall) while improving or steadying 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 is in just its eighth season in 2019 and has an overall record of 60-76. 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.
#FEEDFGCU
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 raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 75 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 35 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
