TALLAHASEE, Fla. – The fourth-ranked Florida State beach volleyball team (17-6) started off the Staybridge Suites Invitational with two 5-0 victories over No. 16 TCU and No. 14 FAU.
“This is the team I have been waiting to see,” Florida State head coach Brooke Niles said. “They were gritty and excited to play at home in front of their fans, and show everyone how good they are. We played great today and people played really well against us, but we were able to withstand their charges and focus on our side of the net. I am really proud with how everyone played.”
The Noles started off the invitational with a dominating win over TCU, winning four of the five matches in straight sets. Redshirt junior Katie Horton and sophomore Nikki Esposito started things off with a 21-14, 21-13 win. Redshirt junior Hailey Luke and redshirt freshman Eva Torruella kept it rolling for the Garnet and Gold as they won in three sets, 16-21, 21-15, 15-11, on court five. Florida State clinched the match with a 21-9, 21-13 win by junior Victoria Paranagua and sophomore Macy Jerger on court three.
The Noles wrapped up the Horned Frogs as junior Vanessa Freire and freshman Francesca Goncalves won 21-8, 21-10 on court two. Graduate senior Leigh Andrew along with sophomore Brooke Kuhlman capped off Florida State’s 5-0 win over TCU with a 21-10, 21-15 straight set victory on court one.
The Garnet and Gold finished off the day against the 14th-ranked Owls with yet another 5-0 win. Florida State once again got the first team point as Luke and Torruella won in straight sets 21-14, 21-11. The Noles recorded their second point of the match as Horton and Esposito came back from a 21-17 first set loss to capture the second set 22-20. In the third set Horton and Esposito battled back and forth before they came away with a 15-11 win.
“We just had to focus on our side,” Horton said. “We were giving them the points. When we started focusing on our side it went a lot better, and we were able to make a comeback.”
The Noles wrapped up the game against FAU as Freire and Goncalves defeated the Owls 21-13, 21-11 on court two. On court three Paranagua and Jerger gave the Noles a 4-0 match lead as they defeated FAU’s Jazmine Barker and Brittany Pellitteri 21-17, 21-16. Andrew and Kuhlman were able to finish of FAU with a 21-12, 24-22 win on court one.
The Seminoles finish up the Staybride Suites Invitational tomorrow with one match against South Carolina at 9 a.m. on the Seminole Beach Volleyball Courts.
No. 4 Florida State 5, No. 16 TCU 0 – Tallahassee, Fla.
- Leigh Andrew/Brooke Kuhlman (FSU) def. Amy Neal/Jaelyn Greene (TCU) 21-10, 21-15
- Vanessa Freire/Francesca Goncalves (FSU) def. Molly Scheel/Haven Hill (TCU) 21-8, 21-10
- Macy Jerger/Victoria Paranagua (FSU) def. Bridget Odmark/Tyler Lucas (TCU) 21-9, 21-14
- Katie Horton/Nikki Esposito (FSU) def. Clair Doyle/Avery Arellano (TCU) 21-14, 21-13
- Eva Torruella/Hailey Luke (FSU) def. Ariah Palter/Sarita Mikals (TCU) 16-21, 21-15, 15-11
Order of finish: 4, 3, 5*, 2, 1
No. 4 Florida State 5, No. 14 FAU 0 – Tallahassee, Fla.
- Leigh Andrew/Brooke Kuhlman (FSU) def. Rice,Megan/Kinlaw,Jessalyn (FAU) 21-12, 24-22
- Vanessa Freire/Francesca Goncalves (FSU) def. Dischler,Gabrielle/Lacour,Candace (FAU) 21-13, 21-11
- Victoria Paranagua/Macy Jerger (FSU) def. Barker,Jazmine/Pellitteri,Brittany (FAU) 21-17, 21-16
- Katie Horton/Nikki Esposito (FSU) def. Grant,Nicole/Navarro,Nicole (FAU) 17-21, 22-20, 15-11
- Eva Torruella/Hailey Luke (FSU) def. Lewkowicz,Julia/Cunningham,Ashlan (FAU) 21-14, 21-11
Ext. Danielle Pennington/Julia Thompson (FSU) def. Scarborough,Carly/Gott,Sam (FAU) 21-15, 21-19
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2*, 3, 1
Volleyball news courtesy Florida State Athletics
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