#4 Florida State Beach Wins Three Big Matches At Outrigger Invite

The fourth-ranked Florida State beach volleyball team (6-3) started off the Outrigger Invitational strong with three wins against Utah, No. 7 Arizona and No 5. Hawaii.

“There were a lot of great matches played today,” head coach Brooke Niles said. “We were really tested by some great teams today and once again it could have gone either way. In every match we had different players step it up and I am proud of them for that. Overall I am proud of our team and how they competed today.”

The Noles came out of the gates fast at the Outrigger Invitational as they beat Utah, 4-1. On court five, redshirt junior Hailey Luke and sophomore Nikki Esposito got things stated for the Garnet and Gold as they defeated the Utes in straight sets (21-8, 21-13). The Noles kept it rolling on court three as the pair of sophomore Macy Jerger and freshman Francesca Goncalves gathered the Seminoles second point in a 22-20, 21-15 straight set win. Utah gained their only point as they won the match on court one by defeating graduate senior Leigh Andrew and sophomore Brooke Kuhlman 21-15, 21-12. The Noles finished off the Utes with three-set victories on court two and four. On court four, senior Sierra Sanchez and freshman Molly McBain got the match point as they defeated Utah in a three-set comeback (21-23, 21-9, 15-9). The Seminoles wrapped things up against the Utes with a three set win by juniors Victoria Paranagua and Vanessa Freire (21-14, 19-21, 15-9).

In the second match of the day against Arizona, the Noles once again got out to an early lead as they won the first two matches on courts two and three in straight sets. Juniors Victoria Paranagua and Vanessa Freire had total control over the Wildcats as they won 21-10, 21-16. Shortly after, the pairing of Sanchez and Jerger finished off the Arizona pair on court three winning 21-13, 21-19. The Wildcats came back from the 2-0 defeat and tied the match up at 2-2 after defeating the Seminole pairs of Andrew and Kuhlman (21-15, 21-12) on court one and the pair of Luke and Esposito (21-19, 21-18) on court three. It all came down to court four as Horton and Goncalves were forced into a third set before they came away with a victory (21-15, 18-21, 15-12) and match point for the Garnet and Gold.

In the final match of the day versus host Hawaii, the Noles began strong as Paranagua and Jerger captured the first point in a 21-16, 21-13 straight set victory on court three. The Garnet and Gold kept the ball rolling as sophomore Ali Eager paired up with Hailey Luke to get her first win of the season in yet another straight set victory for the Noles (21-11, 22-20). On the final three courts the Noles and Warriors were deadlocked in three-set contests. On court two, Andrew and Sanchez fell 21-13, 17-21, 15-11 to leave the Garnet and Gold with a 2-1 lead. On court four, Horton and Goncalves clinched the match for the Noles, 3-1, over the fifth-ranked Sandbows (21-12, 11-21, 15-12). The Seminoles fell on court one in a three-set loss as Kuhlman and Freire fell in their first match as a pair (17-21, 21-18, 14-16).

The Seminoles return to action Saturday as they play No. 1 USC (5:45 p.m. ET) and Nebraska (8:15 p.m. ET) to wrap up the Hawaii Outrigger Invitational at Queens Beach.

No. 4 Florida State 4, Utah 1 – Honolulu, Hawaii

1. Adora Anae/Dani Barton (UTAH) def. Brooke Kuhlman/Leigh Andrew (FSU) 21-15, 21-12
2. Victoria Paranagua/Vanessa Freire (FSU) def. Bailey Choy/Carly Trueman (UTAH) 21-14, 19-21, 15-9
3. Francesa Goncalves/Macy Jerger (FSU) def. Eliza Katoa/Torre Glasker (UTAH) 22-20, 21-15
4. Molly McBain/Sierra Sanchez (FSU) def. Tawnee Luafalemana/Brianna Doehrmann (UTAH) 21-23, 21-9, 15-9
5. Nikki Esposito/Hailey Luke (FSU) def. Berkeley Oblad/Emily Twohig (UTAH) 21-8, 21-13

Order of finish: 5, 3, 1, 4*, 2

No. 4 Florida State 3, No. 7 Arizona 2 – Honolulu, Hawaii

1. Madison Witt/Mckenna Witt (UA) def. Brooke Kuhlman/Leigh Andrew (FSU) 21-12, 21-19
2. Vanessa Freire/Victoria Paranagua (FSU) def. Mia Mason/Kendra Dahlke (UA) 21-10, 21-16
3. Macy Jerger/Sierra Sanchez (FSU) def. Olivia Hallaran/Olivia Macdonald (UA) 21-13, 21-19
4. Katie Horton/Francesa Goncalves (FSU) def. Hailey Devlin/Sam Manley (UA) 21-15, 18-21, 15-12
5. Brooke Burling/Halli Amaro (UA) def. Hailey Luke/Nikki Esposito (FSU) 21-19, 21-18

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1, 5, 3*

No. 4 Florida State 3, No. 5 Hawaii 2 – Honolulu, Hawaii

1. Morgan Martin/Mikayla Tucker (UH) def. Vanessa Freire/Brooke Kuhlman (FSU) 21-17, 18-21, 16-14
2. Nikki Taylor/Ka’iwi Schucht (UH) def. Leigh Andrew/Sierra Sanchez (FSU) 21-13, 17-21, 15-11
3. Macy Jerger/Victoria Paranagua (FSU) def. Emily Maglio/Laurel Weaver (UH) 21-16, 21-13
4. Francesa Goncalves/Katie Horton (FSU) def. Ari Homayun/Carly Kan (UH) 21-12, 11-21, 15-12
5. Hailey Luke/Ali Eager (FSU) def. Norene Iosia/Hannah Zalopany (UH) 21-11, 22-20

Order of finish: 3, 5, 2, 4*, 1

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News courtesy of Florida State Athletics.