Beach Volleyball Falls to a Pair of Ranked Foes

Saturday, February 22

Jacksonville, Fla.

10:30 a.m.

University of North Florida

No. 10/11 FIU

Rogers is 3-0 with an extras pair win through four matches.

Photo by: Todd Drexler

2/22/2020 9:29:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

UNF Clipped 3-2 by No. 10/11 FIU, No. 18 FAU

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - UNF beach volleyball (1-3) had a pair of battles on a windy Saturday afternoon at The Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex, although a duo of ranked foes got the upper hand.

North Florida dropped matches to No. 10/11 FIU (2-1) and No. 18 FAU (3-1) Feb. 22, concluding UNF's first UNF Beach Invitational at The Coop.

Match 1 | No. 10/11 FIU 3, UNF 2

Sydni Small and Leah Maloney swept the five slot as did Marisa Rogers and Carolyn Cain at the three position to put UNF ahead, 3-2. A strong front half of the lineup propelled FIU ahead, as the Panthers swept slots one through three.

Jessie Freeman and Blaire Register also worked a 21-11, 21-14, triumph at the extras slot.

No. 10 FIU 3, UNF 2
Feb. 22, 2020 | The Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex | Jacksonville, Fla.

1. BIANCHIN, Margherita/FRASCA, Federica (231) def. Callie Workman/Madilyn McCarty (UNF) 21-17, 21-7
2. ERTELTOVA, Emma/DENNEY, Ali (231) def. Carleigh Semeniuk/Lauren Galinis (UNF) 21-17, 21-13
3. BERNIER, Lina/LIPSCOMB, Gina (231) def. Taryn Griffey/Dana Roskic (UNF) 21-14, 21-13
4. Marisa Rogers/Carolyn Cain (UNF) def. SASSER, Sabian/HUGHES, Abbie (231) 21-17, 21-14
5. Sydni Small/Leah Maloney (UNF) def. BRANDSTETTER, Sophia/PETRANOVIC, Nina (231) 21-19, 21-16
Ext. Jessi Freeman/Blaire Register (UNF) def. FORBES, Presley/BESTERFIELD, Madi (231) 21-11, 21-14

Match Notes
FIU 2-1; National ranking #10
North Florida 1-2
Order of finish: Doubles (5,4,2,1,3);
Official: Michael Brown T-1:26 A-67

Match 2 | No. 18 FAU 3, UNF 2

Maloney and Small were stopped for the first time in 2020 after falling to Maylin Bouffard and Megan McGrath, 21-16, 16-21, 16-14. Cain and Rogers kept rolling along, posting a 21-17, 23-21 victory against Kaila Dorish and Courtney Moon.

Roskic and Freeman won a three-setter thanks to 22-20 and 15-11 set two and three victories. FAU's Ellie Austin and Savannah Pesante outlasted Lauren Galinis and Carleigh Semeniuk in three sets to even things at two apiece. The Owls clinched the match with a top-slot triumph.

No. 18 FAU 3, UNF 2
Feb. 22, 2020 | The Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex | Jacksonville, Fla.

1. Erica Brok/Mackenzie Morris (FAU) def. Madilyn McCarty/Callie Workman (UNF) 21-12, 21-16
2. Ellie Austin/Savannah Pesante (FAU) def. Lauren Galinis/Carleigh Semeniuk (UNF) 16-21, 21-14, 15-8
3. Carolyn Cain/Marisa Rogers (UNF) def. Kaila Dorish/Courtney Moon (FAU) 21-17, 23-21
4. Dana Roskic/Jessi Freeman (UNF) def. Jillenne Cangelosi/Sam Gott (FAU) 16-21, 22-20, 15-11
5. Maylin Bouffard/Megan McGrath (FAU) def. Leah Maloney/Sydni Small (UNF) 21-16, 16-21, 16-14
Ext. Gabby O'Connell/Taryn Griffey (UNF) def. Abby Jackson/Lily Richman (FAU) 21-17, 21-13

Match Notes
FAU 3-1; National ranking #18
North Florida 1-3
Order of finish: Doubles (5,3,4,2,1);
Official: Michael Brown T-1:41 A-83

Other Notes

Three of UNF's four matches this weekend were against ranked foes.
UNF is 6-5 against FAU and 0-4 against FIU all-time.
North Florida is 3-1 at both the four and five pairs thus far.
Carolyn Cain and Marisa Rogers are both 3-0.
Cain and Rogers' three-slot position was their highest placement in the lineup.

Wright's Words
"I'm proud of our effort today. No coach likes to say "so close" but that's our reality in playing three of the top-20 teams. People stepped up with us having some lineup shifts and I'm proud of our start. We've proven we can compete with high quality teams in the country, we just need to finish."

Up Next
UNF is back at The Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex March 7 for matches against UNC Wilmington, Florida State and St. Johns River State.