JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The FGCU beach volleyball team (12-9, 2-4 ASUN) made history while putting up a pair of sweeps over Mercer University (7-6, 2-6) on Friday at Dolphin Beach on the campus of Jacksonville University.

"Two sweeps after coming off a disappointing loss is a big step in the right direction for us," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "We need to keep it moving into Jacksonville on Saturday and put ourselves in good shape for a conference tournament bid."

The Green and Blue will conclude its regular season on Saturday with a pair of matches against Jacksonville (1-9, 0-6). Following that, FGCU will await its postseason fate as it tries to earn one of four at-large bids in the ASUN tournament. Stetson and Coastal Carolina have already clinched the conference's automatic bids.
 
On Friday, the No. 3 duo of Snowy Burnam and Kayla Whetstone didn't allow more than 15 points in any of their four sets against Mercer, improving its win total to 17 and tying the program's single-season record established by Karissa Rhoades and Katherine Puisis last year.

Single Season Wins Leaders
17 - Kayla Whetstone/Snowy Burnam - 2019 (17-4 .810)
17 - Katherine Puisis/Karissa Rhoades - 2018 (17-8 .680)
16 - Giovanna Borgiotti/Ashley Glickert- 2018 (16-9 .640)
16 - Snowy Burnam/Kayla Whetstone - 2018 (16-10 .615)
15 - Elisa Anne Aldrich/Madi Wilcox - 2016 (15-4 .789)
15 - Karissa Rhoades/ Katherine Puisis - 2019 (15-6, .714)
15 - Karissa Rhoades/ Katherine Puisis - 2017 (15-9 .625)

On top of that, Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) and Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS) reached the win total four matches faster than their now-senior counterparts did.
 
Single Season Winning Percentage Leaders
.810 - Snowy Burnam/Kayla Whetstone - 2019 (17-4)
.789 - Madi Wilcox/Elisa Anne Aldrich - 2016 (15-4)
.714 - Karissa Rhoades/Katherine Puisis - 2019 (15-6)
.680 - Katherine Puisis/Karissa Rhoades - 2018 (17-8)
.640 - Giovanna Borgiotti/Ashley Glickert - 2018 (16-9)
 
Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) and Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS), meanwhile, became the first pair in program history to achieve at least 15 wins in three consecutive seasons. The duo lost its first set of the day, but fought back to win 15-9 in the final set and then swept the day's finale - improving to 15-6 this season.

Amanda Carroll teamed with Kirstine Garder to win all four sets on Friday at the No. 1 pair. She now has a career-high 13 victories this year, while Garder (Halden, Norway/Topvolley Norge) is three wins shy of matching the program's freshman wins record set by Burnam and Whetstone last year. Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) also needs just two more wins to give this year's team the top three spots in career victories.

Career Wins Leaders
56 - Karissa Rhoades, 2016-present
52 - Katherine Puisis, 2016-present
46 - Madi Wilcox, 2014-17
45 - Amanda Carroll, 2016-present
39 - Giovanna Borgiotti, 2017-present
38 - Mackenzie Allen, 2015-18
38 - Ashley Glickert, 2015-18

Career Winning Percentage Leaders
.702 - Kayla Whetstone - 2018-19 (33-14)
.702 - Snowy Burnam - 2018-19 (33-14)
.634 - Katherine Puisis - 2016-19 (52-30)
.629 - Karissa Rhoades - 2016-19 (56-33)
.590 - Madi Wilcox - 2014-17 (46-32)
.557 - Giovanna Borgiotti - 2017-19 (39-31)
.536 - Amanda Carroll - 2016-19 (45-39)
.463 - Mackenzie Allen - 2015-18 (38-44)
.458 - Ashley Glickert - 2015-18 (38-45)
.435 - Caroline Jordan - 2014-17 (30-39)
 
Cortney VanLiew and Alayna Ryan also won each of their four sets. The duo is now 6-7 together this year, while VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) eclipsed double-digit victories overall (11) for the first time in her nearly two-year career.

Giovanna Borgiotti and Candace Lacour (Buckeye, Ariz./Verrado HS) are now 13-8 in their first season together. Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) has put herself just one win shy of becoming the fifth player in program history with at least 40 victories.

Updated ASUN Standings
North Division
Stetson - 26-8, 8-0
North Florida - 19-12, 6-2
FGCU - 12-9, 2-4
Mercer - 7-6, 2-6
Jacksonville - 1-9, 0-6

South Division
Coastal Carolina - 19-9, 8-0
North Alabama - 9-9, 3-3
Morehead State - 13-6, 3-3
Austin Peay - 13-12, 4-4
Jacksonville State - 3-13, 0-8
 
ASUN Schedule/Results
Friday
Coastal Carolina d. Jacksonville State 5-0, 5-0
FGCU d. Mercer 5-0, 5-0

Saturday
FGCU @ Jacksonville (DH)
Morehead State @ North Alabama (DH)

RESULTS
FGCU 5, Mercer 0
1. Carroll/Garder d. Gibson/Garanich 21-19, 21-16
2. Rhoades/Puisis d. Merchant/Ogden 16-21, 21-16, 15-9
3. Burnam/Whetstone d. McIntosh/Boeve 21-11, 21-14
4. Lacour/Borgiotti d. Keeling/Wissmach 23-21, 21-19
5. Ryan/VanLiew d. Gibson/Nunley 21-17, 21-15

FGCU 5, Mercer 0
1. Carroll/Garder d. Gibson/Garanich 21-17, 21-17
2. Puisis/Rhoades d. Ogden/Merchant 21-17, 21-15
3. Whetstone/Burnam d. McIntosh/Boeve 21-15, 21-14
4. Borgiotti/Lacour d. Keeling/Wissmach 13-21, 21-12, 15-10
5. Ryan/VanLiew d. Nunley/Gibson 21-18, 21-16
 
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 54-36 record over the past three-plus seasons (60-65 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 71-80. 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.

#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 76 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.