BOCA RATON, Fla. – The No. 13-ranked Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team (7-1) closed out its home-opening FAU Beach Invitational on Saturday as the Sandy Owls earned their third and fourth 5-0 sweeps of the weekend against Southern Miss (6-3) and Palm Beach Atlantic (4-6)
QUOTES FROM COACH GROTOWSKI
“What a great weekend for our beach team! There’s no better place to be than at FAU as the sun goes down. We have a special group and I love to watch them compete. Winning 24 individual matches is really hard and we found ways to win even when we weren’t playing our best. That feeling is so powerful and I know it will help us as we get into a stronger part of our schedule.”
NO. 13 FAU 5 – SOUTHERN MISS 0
The Sandy Owls pair four of Kate McLaughlin and Courtney Wood got things started on Saturday, earning a 21-16, 21-17 straight-set victory against Southern Miss’ Hallie Phelan and Kai Norman. Ellie Austin and Christine Jarman finished second, pushing the Owls’ lead to 2-0 after securing a hard-fought three-set comeback win against the Golden Eagles’ Kellie Garraway and Taylor Pierce on court two, 17-21, 24-22, 15-12. The Sandy Owls’ Emma Grace Robertson and Jillienne Cangelosi clinched the match for FAU on court three, taking a 21-14, 21-14 two-setter against Southern Miss’ Reagan Sandlin and Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou. Alivia Orvieto and Stephanie Young pushed the Owls lead to 4-0 after taking a two-set 21-14, 21-14 battle on court five, before Ashleigh Adams and Julie Honzovicova closed out the contest with FAU’s fourth straight-set win, 21-9, 21-15 against the Golden Eagles’ Aleksandra Chudzik and Vanessa Hurnikova.
Scores
1. Julie Honzovicova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) def. Aleksandra Chudzik/Vanessa Hurnikova (USM) 21-9, 21-15 (finished fifth)
2. Ellie Austin/Christine Jarman (FAU) def. Kellie Garraway/Taylor Pierce (USM) 17-21, 24-22, 15-12 (finished second)
3. Emma Grace Robertson/Jillienne Cangelosi (FAU) def. Reagan Sandlin/Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou (USM) 21-14, 21-14 (finished third)
4. Courtney Moon/Kate McLaughlin (FAU) def. Hallie Phelan/Kai Norman (USM) 21-16, 21-17 (finished first)
5. Stephanie Young/Alivia Orvieto (FAU) def. Madison Cassidy/Ashlyn Rough (USM) 21-14, 21-14 (finished fourth)
NO. 13 FAU 5 – PBA 0
FAU’s Austin and Jarman opened up the Sandy Owls FAU Invitational finale against Palm Beach Atlantic with a 21-16, 21-9 straight-set victory against PBA’s Gabriella Aziz and Ashleigh Holweger. McLaughlin and Moon give the Sandy Owls the 2-0 advantage after earning a 21-17, 21-10 two-setter on court four against the Sailfish’s Sydney Wgner and Julia Golichowski. Robertson and Cangelosi clinched the Sandy Owls’ second match of the day on court three, capturing a 21-15, 21-7 straight-set win against PBA’s Natalie Skopalova and Savannah DeCarlo. Adams and Honzovicova pushed the Sandy Owls’ advantage to 4-0 after a 21-15, 23-21 two-set victory on court one, before Orvieto and Young rounded out the day earning the Owls’ fifth straight-set win against the Sailfish, 22-20, 24-22, to complete the Sandy Owls perfect weekend.
Scores
1. Julie Honzovicova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) def. Mya Krystosek/Lunden Evans (PBA) 21-15, 23-21 (finished fourth)
2. Ellie Austin/Christine Jarman (FAU) def. Gabriella Aziz/Ashleigh Holweger (PBA) 21-16, 21-9 (finished first)
3. Emma Grace Robertson/Jillienne Cangelosi (FAU) def. Natalie Skopalova/Savannah DeCarlo (PBA) 21-15, 21-7 (finished third)
4. Courtney Moon/Kate McLaughlin (FAU) def. Sydney Wagner/Julia Golichowski (PBA) 21-17, 21-10 (finished second)
5. Stephanie Young/Alivia Orvieto (FAU) def. Abigail Mason/Karla Cantero (PBA), 22-20, 24-22 (finished fifth)
NOTABLES
- The Sandy Owls earned their first perfect weekend, going 5-0 in four-straight contests at the FAU Beach Invitational.
- Emma Grace Robertson and Jillienne Cangelosi clinched both matches for the Sandy Owls on the day.
UP NEXT
FAU will head back on the road next weekend as the Sandy Owls head to Los Angeles, California to compete in the Battle for LA on March 11-12.
FOLLOW THE OWLS
For updates, follow @FAUBeachVB on Twitter and Instagram, or like FAU Beach Volleyball on Facebook.
