COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sparked by a thrilling win over No. 18 South Carolina, the No. 20 FGCU beach volleyball team closed out the regular-season schedule with a sweep of day two of the Palmetto Invitational on Saturday at the Wheeler Beach Courts. After the 3-2 win over the host Gamecocks, the Eagles then defeated the College of Charleston, 4-1, to improve to 23-8 on the year heading into the postseason.
 
"When you come to South Carolina's place to play a team as deep as they are, you have to bring your 'A' game and I thought all the pairs did exactly that," said head coach Chris Sweat. "Winning the first set at every pair set the tone for the match and I am really proud how all of the girls played. There were some overtime thrillers and I loved the fight in all of them. Overall, it was a great weekend against some great competition leading up to the conference tournament."
 
After winning both matches on the day alongside partner Cortney VanLiew, Snowy Burnam moved into sole possession of the second all-time in program history for career wins (63). Emma Hansen also moved into to sole possession of sixth all-time with 52 career wins.
 
Against South Carolina (19-9), the Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead after wins from Kaitlyn Luebbers and Hansen in the fifth flight before Burnam and VanLiew picked up a three-set victory in the fourth flight. The Gamecocks came back to tie the match 2-2 with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 pairs setting up a showdown in the No. 1 flight. Maddison Parmelly and Kacie Johnson took the first set 21-17 before conceding the second 23-25. The pair rallied in the third for the match-clinching point as they fought to a 15-13 decision.
 
In the win over Charleston, the Eagles made quick work of securing the match with victories at the No. 5 and No. 4 flights before Shelby Beisner and Trinity Rosales had the match-clinching decision at the No. 3 flight. Jaci Carpenter and Lexie Hamilton won at No. 2 giving the Eagles a 4-0 lead, but the Cougars were able to earn a point in the No. 1 flight with a three-set victory that featured two sets decided by a pair of points each.
 
The win over the Gamecocks marked the second win over a ranked foe this season and gave the Eagles a three match win streak heading into the postseason.
 
Up next for FGCU will be the ASUN Championship on April 22-25 in Huntsville, Ala. The Eagles enter the tournament with 23 wins marking the most in school history since the 2018 squad posted 18 in its runner-up finish in the ASUN Championship.
 
Florida Gulf Coast vs South Carolina
Apr 16, 2022 at Columbia, S.C.
(Wheeler Beach)
#20 Florida Gulf Coast 3, #18 South Carolina 2
1. Maddison Parmelly/Kacie Johnson (FGCU) def. Skylar Allen/Whitley Ballard (SC) 21-17, 23-25, 15-13
2. Jordan Smith/Lauren Wilcock (SC) def. Jacqueline Carpenter/Lexie Hamilton (FGCU) 21-23, 21-16, 15-10
3. Hannah Mackenhausen/Kaeli Crews (SC) def. Trinity Rosales/Shelby Beisner (FGCU) 18-21, 21-14, 19-17
4. Snowy Burnam/Cortney Vanliew (FGCU) def. Abby Carroll/Alyssa Keller (SC) 21-19, 17-21, 27-25
5. Kaitlyn Luebbers/Emma Hansen (FGCU) def. Chase Teal/Jillian Gleason (SC) 21-16, 21-14
Ext. Peyton Gray/Sophie Bengoechea (SC) def. Skylar English/Mia Thompson (FGCU) 21-17, 21-16
Order of finish: 5,4,2,3,1
 
Charleston vs Florida Gulf Coast
Apr 16, 2022 at Columbia, S.C.
(Wheeler Beach)
#20 Florida Gulf Coast 4, Charleston 1
1. Ella Reames/Sky Benjamin (COFC) def. Maddison Parmelly/Kacie Johnson (FGCU) 23-21, 17-21, 19-17
2. Jacqueline Carpenter/Lexie Hamilton (FGCU) def. Amani Dunston/Gabi Bailey (COFC) 21-19, 21-17
3. Shelby Beisner/Trinity Rosales (FGCU) def. Sofie Vogel/Kyra Thompson (COFC) 21-15, 21-19
4. Snowy Burnam/Cortney Vanliew (FGCU) def. Emma Falk/Rebecca Olariu (COFC) 8-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Kaitlyn Luebbers/Emma Hansen (FGCU) def. Jasmin Goei/Tynley Smeltzer (COFC) 18-21, 21-19, 15-11
Ext. Skylar English/Elizabeth Richmond (FGCU) def. Mikaela Dougherty/Molly Russell (COFC) 21-10, 21-15
Order of finish: 5,4,3,2,1
 
For complete coverage of the beach volleyball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter and Instagram at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /fgcubeachvb and online at FGCUathletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU beach volleyball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.
 
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COACH SWEAT
Chris Sweat is in his third season as head coach of the FGCU beach volleyball program after spending the prior five seasons as an assistant coach. A member of VolleyballMag.com's Under 40 Coaching Hotshots list in January 2020, he led the Eagles to a 4-0 start in 2020 prior to the COVID-19 shutdown and has compiled a 44-23 record to open his head coaching tenure.
 
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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 90 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 10 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 44 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) 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 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 25 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2021) each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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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