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win over Auburn 09-06-19
Tessa Mortensen
0
USF USF 2-1
3
Winner FGCU FGCU 4-0
USF USF
2-1
0
Final
3
FGCU FGCU
4-0
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
USF USF 13 17 14 (0)
FGCU FGCU 25 25 25 (3)
3
Winner FGCU FGCU 5-0
0
AUBURN AUBURN 1-3
Winner
FGCU FGCU
5-0
3
Final
0
AUBURN AUBURN
1-3
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
FGCU FGCU 25 25 25 (3)
AUBURN AUBURN 22 19 14 (0)

Next Match:

vs. George Washington

9/7/2019 | 2:30 PM

Next Match

Full Schedule
Sep. 07 (Sat) / 2:30 PM
vs. George Washington
History

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Nicholas Huenefeld (@niklaustradamus)

VanLiew, @FGCU_VB sweep USF, Auburn on opening day of Hurricane Invite

Coral Gables, Fla. -  The FGCU volleyball team (5-0) produced straight-set victories over USF (25-13, 25-17, 25-14) and Auburn (25-22, 25-19, 25-14) on the opening day of the Hurricane Invitational at the University of Miami on Friday.
 
The win over Auburn represented FGCU's first-ever over an SEC opponent, and it was the program's third all-time win over a Power 5 team. The Eagles have also won 18 consecutive regular season matches dating back to Oct. 7 of last year and have won five in a row to start a season for the first time since becoming a Division I program in 2007.
 
"Our team played extremely well today, particularly from the service line," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "We were able to put the opponents in some tough positions after first contact and that allowed our block and defense to work."
 
The Eagles, who will close out the Hurricane Invitational on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against George Washington, got another outstanding offensive performance from junior outside hitter Cortney VanLiew, who totaled 31 kills with just three errors in the two matches combined, including an 18-kill, .471 outing against Auburn in which she had 10 kills in a tight first set.
 
Sophomore setter Chelsey Lockey totaled 69 assists and 20 digs, including 37 assists and 13 digs against USF for her second double-double of the season. Dana Axner combined for 29 digs.
 
"Chelsey was outstanding finding favorable matchups in the offense and feeding the hot hitters when needed," Botsford said. "Erin (Shomaker) was a nice spark off the bench in both matches and came up with some key plays. Overall, I really liked the way our team finished sets. Everyone was dialed in on doing their job well, and I thought the execution was a step up from last week."
 
Against USF, VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) had a team-high 13 kills, although Tori Morris (9 kills, .571, five blocks) also had an impactful match. Erin Shomaker (8 kills, .727) and Daniele Serrano (7 kills, .294) also contributed offensively. Lockey's 13 digs was a team-high, while Axner chipped in 12 along with five assists. Shomaker (Granville, Ohio/Granville HS) added four blocks (two solo).
 
As a team, FGCU hit. 322 against the Bulls, including a 16-kill, zero error third set in which they tallied a .533 hitting percentage. Defensively, they held USF to a .115 finish.
 
VanLiew was the lone player in double figure kills against Auburn, but Serrano (8 kills, .500) and Shomaker (7 kills, .583) also contributed. Axner (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman HS) had a game-high 17 digs, and Morris led the way with three blocks. Lockey (Eaton, Colo./Eaton HS) fell just three digs shy of another double-double. The Eagles hit .320 as a team compared to .158 for Auburn.
 
Notes
FGCU is now 5-3 all-time against USF, while they're now 1-1 vs Auburn. Prior to Friday's victory, the Eagles were 0-6 all-time against the SEC. In terms of wins over Power 5 schools, this was the Green and Blue's first on a neutral court. They defeated Miami in straight sets last year on the road and Indiana at home in five sets in 2016. Thus, they now have wins over schools from the Big 10, SEC and ACC.
 
Record Book Updates
Amanda Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) had two kills against Auburn to eclipse 1,400 in her career. She is the program's all-time leader and one of only nine in ASUN history to record that many in a career. VanLiew is now 27 shy of 900 in her career and needs 54 more to surpass Kaitlin Holm (926, 2011-13) for fourth place in the Division I era. Serrano moved up to ninth in career kills, surpassing Jelena Simic (649, 2009-11) on the same list.
 
Axner eclipsed 700 career digs and sits eighth in program history for a career.
 
Serrano (Sanford, Fla./Seminole HS) had three total blocks on Friday and moved into 10th place in ASUN history with 375.0 in her career. She surpassed Shelby Connors (Stetson, 2014-17) and is five shy of Alex Kelly (Lipscomb, 2007-10) for eighth.
 
Fall Sports Single-Game, Season and Group Tickets On Sale
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).
 
Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.
 
For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Matt Botsford is in his sixth season as head coach of the FGCU women's volleyball program in 2019 after being hired on Feb. 10, 2014. In his tenure, Botsford-led teams have compiled a 121-45 (.729) record overall, including a 57-15 (.792) record in ASUN play. Including this past season, he has taken the program to heights it has not seen in the Division-I era (2007-present) – registering at least 20 wins overall in four straight seasons and at least 10 wins in conference play five straight seasons. Furthermore, the team's offensive efficiency has drastically improved since Botsford started. In his first two seasons, his squad produced hitting percentages of .212 and .220. The next two, which saw .267 and .256 percentages, are the third and fourth highest in program history. In 2018, he led the program to its first regular season championship since 2012 (fourth overall) and its first-ever ASUN tournament title, NCAA tournament appearance, NCAA tournament win and victory over a ranked team. His first two campaigns resulted in ASUN regular season runner-up finishes, and the following two saw the Eagles advance to the tournament championship. On Sept. 10, 2016, Botsford led his team to a five-set win over Indiana in Alico Arena, which signified the program's first-ever win over a team from a Power-5 conference. This past season, he led the team to a win over Miami (Fla.) - the program's first-ever road Power-5 win.
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12 seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just eight seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 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 sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--
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Players Mentioned

Dana Axner

#7 Dana Axner

L
5' 8"
Sophomore
Amanda Carroll

#14 Amanda Carroll

OH
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Chelsey Lockey

#10 Chelsey Lockey

S
5' 9"
Sophomore
Tori Morris

#22 Tori Morris

MB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Daniele Serrano

#3 Daniele Serrano

MB
6' 1"
Senior
Cortney VanLiew

#12 Cortney VanLiew

OH
5' 11"
Junior
Erin Shomaker

#6 Erin Shomaker

OH
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Dana Axner

#7 Dana Axner

5' 8"
Sophomore
L
Amanda Carroll

#14 Amanda Carroll

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
OH
Chelsey Lockey

#10 Chelsey Lockey

5' 9"
Sophomore
S
Tori Morris

#22 Tori Morris

6' 0"
Sophomore
MB
Daniele Serrano

#3 Daniele Serrano

6' 1"
Senior
MB
Cortney VanLiew

#12 Cortney VanLiew

5' 11"
Junior
OH
Erin Shomaker

#6 Erin Shomaker

6' 2"
Freshman
OH