ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The Georgia State sand volleyball team split its two matches on Sunday at the UNF Tournament. The Panthers narrowly lost to No. 9 FIU 3-2 and defeated Lousiana-Monroe 3-2.
The Panthers lost to No. 9 FIU 3-2 to open Sunday's play. The Panthers won their matches at the second and third flights.
Sophomores Jansen Button and Sara Olivova won in three sets over Tina Toghiyana and Aren Cupp 18-21, 24-22, 15-8. Sophomore Katelyn Rawls and freshman Sarah Agnew also won in three sets, defeating Kristine Monforte and Marytna Gluchowicz 24-26, 21-14, 15-5. Graduate student Moriah Bellissimo and freshman Delaney Rohan lost 21-14, 22-20 to Ksenia Sukhoreva and Maja Rosko.
At the third fourth flight, sophomore Milani Pickering and freshman Natalie Wilson lost in three sets. The Panther pair fell in a heartbreaker to Jessica Mendoza and Jessica Gehrke 21-19, 19-21, 17-15. At the fifth flight, freshman Jessica Fourspring and sophomore Alexis Townsend lost to Maryna Samoday and Camila Rosado 21-15, 21-6.
In the final match of the weekend, Georgia State won 3-2 over Louisiana-Monroe. The Panthers won at flights three, four and five.
Rawls and Agnew defeated Blanca Ocana and Alannah Cullum 21-14, 21-12 in the third flight. At flight No. 4, Pickering and Wilson defeated Hope Pawlik and Rachel Arnason 21-6, 21-10. At the fifth flight, Townsend and senior Katie Madewell defeated Celine Flores and Kaitlynn Shearer 21-16, 21-13.
Both of GSU's losses in the ULM match were three-set losses.
"We showed up this weekend on small, manageable goals and prepared to compete," head coach Beth Van Fleet said. "Going in to the tournament, we knew that our defense would allow us to battle with the top teams and that's exactly what we did. We are excited that we opened the season with our first ever sweep, but that's in the past. Now we are preparing for our home event Tuesday."
Georgia State returns home to host the Diggin' Duals tournament on Monday and Tuesday with a 3-1 record. The Panthers will play three matches on Tuesday.
