FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University beach volleyball team dropped two Atlantic Sun Conference matches on the final day of the FGCU Inaugural Tournament, falling to No. 19 North Florida 4-1 and No. 20 Stetson 3-2. The Eagles finished the event 1-3 overall, after a win over No. 14 Florida International and a loss to South Carolina on Friday.
In the morning contest, North Florida struck quickly at the No. 4 pair. The Osprey's duo of Cameron Humphries and Hayden Wooldridge downed the Eagles'
Andrea Dietz and
Sydney Majick 21-13, 21-14. UNF extended its lead with a three-set win at the No. 5 pair. FGCU's
Erin Miller and
Mia Thompson scored a dominant 21-11 opening set win, but the Osprey's sophomore duo of Sophia Notaro and Eden Anderson rallied for a 21-15 victory in the second set and closed it out with a 15-12 triumph in the third.
The Eagles responded at the No. 1 pair with their preseason All-ASUN duo.
Nicole De Oliveira and Kaitlynn Luebbers dominated their first set 21-12 before eking out a 21-19 second set victory.
UNF sealed the match at the No. 3 pair. FGCU's
Alexis Keeter and
Ava Lilliquist dropped the first set 21-16 to the Ospreys' Andrea Da Silva and Taylor Pierce. Keeter and Lilliquist fought back for a 21-17 win in the second, before ultimately falling 15-12 in the decisive third frame.
At the No. 2 pair, FGCU's
Jaci Carpenter and
Emma Soncrant won their first set 21-17, but dropped the second 21-16 and the third 15-8 to Mariana Feliciano Sanchez and Madison Espy, giving North Florida a 4-1 victory.
The afternoon matchup saw FGCU and Stetson trade three set victories at the No. 4 and No. 5 pairs. The Hatters struck first thanks to Hanna Gubik and Vanessa Hurnikova, who beat Miller and Thompson 15-21, 21-11, 15-5. Dietz and Lilliquist dropped a tight first set 23-21 but answered with 21-15 and 15-9 wins in the ensuing frames to tie the match for FGCU.
The Hatters reclaimed the lead at the No. 3 pair. Marta Carro and Julia Radelczuk won their second match of the day, defeating Keeter and Majick 21-15, 21-12. FGCU quickly struck back at the No. 1 pair. De Oliveira and Luebbers swept a tight two setter 21-19, 21-18.
FGCU's flagship duo won both of its matches Saturday and three of its four across the tournament. Luebbers earned her 78th and 79th career wins Saturday, putting the senior four away from setting FGCU's all-time program record.
The match came down to the wire at the No. 2 pair. Carpenter and Soncrant dropped their opening set 21-17 to Stetson's Youna Coens and Grace Goudy but forced an ultimately decisive third set with a 21-19 victory in the second. Despite a commendable effort, Carpenter and Soncrant fell 18-16, giving the Hatters a 3-2 win.
FGCU (4-6, 1-2 ASUN) is back in action next weekend. The Eagles travel to Boca Raton, Fla. to contest the FAU Beach Invitational hosted by Florida Atlantic University on March 14 and 15.
