While there were several standout performances on the opening weekend of the beach season, one duo stood out with a 4-0 record against tough competition.
Florida State sophomore Francesca Goncalves and redshirt sophomore Sara Putt are this week’s VolleyMob Beach Pair of the Week.
The Seminoles’ No. 3 duo earned three straight-set victories and a three-set comeback win.
- Feb. 23 – #4 FSU def. #16 Florida Atlantic, 5-0
- Goncalves/Putt def. Nicole Navarro/Nicole Grant, 21-16, 21-19
- Feb 23 – #4 FSU def. #8 South Carolina, 4-1
- Goncalves/Putt def. Leah Perri/Macie Tendrich, 21-14, 21-15
- Feb 24 – #4 FSU def. #12 Georgia State, 4-1
- Goncalves/Putt def. Olivia Stasevich/Georgia Johnson, 21-14, 21-15
- Feb 24 – #4 FSU def. #15 Stetson, 4-1
- Goncalves/Putt def. Rachel Noble/Samantha Harria, 19-21, 22-20, 15-13
The pair clinched all four victories for the Seminoles.
Goncalves, the reigning Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Freshman of the Year, went 29-7 in 2017, playing on the No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 lines. She went 12-3 at No. 2, 3-0 at No. 3, 13-4 at No. 4 and 1-0 at No. 5.
For her part, Putt is in her first year with the team after transferring from Stetson. The 2016 Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year and half of the league’s Pair of the Year with Vendy Strakova redshirted the 2017 season. The AVCA All-American went 32-3 at the No. 1 position for the Hatters in 2016.
FSU was one of only two AVCA Top 5 teams alongside Hawaii to remain undefeated after the first weekend of play and the team’s 4-0 record stands as the best in the CCSA after opening weekend.
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