TAMPA, Fla. --- The FGCU volleyball team produced a pair of 4-1 victories over Mercer and Eckerd on Saturday to conclude the Tampa Classic, which allowed the Eagles to push their record to 4-0 to start the season.
 
"We had tough conditions today and had to battle for every point," FGCU head coach Chris Sweat said. "Playing against two well-coached teams, I was pleased to come out with two wins. We did not execute as well as yesterday, and I'm looking forward to practice this week as we prepare for the busy part of our season."
 
FGCU, which also started last year 4-0 before Covid-19 struck, extended its regular season winning streak to 12 with Saturday's victories. The streak dates back to a 5-0 win over Mercer on April 12, 2019. The Eagles will now head across Alligator Alley on Saturday for matchups against Palm Beach Atlantic at 11:30 a.m. and No. 14 Florida International at 2 p.m. in the FIU Classic.
 
Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS), who teamed with Kirstine Garder (Halden, Norway/Topvolley Norge) for a pair of wins at the No. 1 pair on Saturday, pushed her career win total to 50, becoming just the fourth player in program history to reach that milestone and tying Amanda Carroll (2016-19) for the third-most victories in program history. The duo picked up the match-clinching win in the team's finale against Eckerd.
 
Meanwhile, Kayla Whetstone and Kacie Johnson (Frisco, Texas/Lebanon Trail HS) produced a 21-16, 21-17 win over Eckerd at the No. 2 pair in the finale. In doing so, Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS) broke a tie with Madi Wilcox (46, 2014-17) and moved into sole possession of fifth place on the career wins list.
 
Most Career Wins In Program History

1.	Karissa Rhoades	2016-19	61
2.	Katie Puisis	2016-19	57
3.	Amanda Carroll	2016-19	50
	Giovanna Borgiotti	2017-present	50
5.	Kayla Whetstone	2018-present	47

 
In the opener against Mercer, the duo of Lexie Hamilton (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS/UNCW) and Maddison Parmelly (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall Heath HS) produced the match-clinching win at the No. 3 pair. The duo teamed together for three victories this weekend and each of them went an unblemished 4-0.
 
Meanwhile, Emma Hansen pushed her individual winning streak to eight dating back to the finals of the 2019 ASUN Championship with the assistance of her partner, Madie Lichty (Clemmons, N.C./West Forsyth HS), at the No. 4 pair in the win over Mercer to open the day. However, the pair suffered a tough two-set loss in the finale as Hansen (Trophy Club, Texas/Westlake Academy) saw her streak come to an end.
 
Elizabeth Richmond (Oakville, Ontario/Blyth Academy) teamed with Jenna Banz at the No. 5 pair for a win over Mercer in Saturday's opener. In doing so, the sophomore pushed her career record to 5-1. Meanwhile, Banz (Cambridge, Ontario/Canada/St. Benedict Catholic Secondary/Hawaii) teamed with Trinity Rosales in a win over Eckerd's No. 5 pair to finish off a pair of wins on the day for her. She is now 6-2 in her Green and Blue career since transferring from Hawaii prior to the start of last season. Rosales (Wilmington, N.C./Eugene Ashley HS), meanwhile, improved to 2-0 to start her collegiate career with the victory.
 
FGCU 4, Mercer 1
1. Giovanna Borgiotti/Kirstine Garder (FGCU) d. Gracie Garanich/Emilee Wissmach 18-21, 21-17, 15-10
2. Elli Merchant/Olivia Boeve (Mercer) d. Kacie Johnson/Kayla Whetstone 21-19, 17-21, 16-14
3. Lexie Hamilton/Maddison Parmelly (FGCU) d. Maddie Nunley/Kacy Ogden 21-15, 21-17
4. Madie Lichty/Emma Hansen (FGCU) d. Elena Sanfrey/Emily Leonard 21-12, 21-9
5. Elizabeth Richmond/Jenna Banz (FGCU) d. Hana Robertson/Ellie Miller 21-8, 21-13
 
FGCU 4, Eckerd 1
1. Giovanna Borgiotti/Kirstine Garder (FGCU) d. Anna Jungjohann 21-14, 21-17
2. Kayla Whetstone/Kacie Johnson (FGCU) d. Joelle Coulter/Katana Lim 21-16, 21-17
3. Lexie Hamilton/Maddison Parmelly (FGCU) d. Agata Sklepik/Dana Dull 21-12, 21-14
4. Martina Melicherova/Manaia Rewi (Eckerd) d. Madie Lichty/Emma Hansen 21-16, 21-18
5. Trinity Rosales/Jenna Banz (FGCU) d. Sam Crankshaw/Izabela Gorys 21-19, 19-21, 15-12
 
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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 84 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. 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 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. 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.
 
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