GULF SHORES, Ala. – For just the second consecutive year and the second time in program history, the 12th-ranked Sandy Owls will compete in the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship this weekend, taking on No. 5-seed LSU in the opening round on Friday, May 5 at 1 p.m. ET in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The Sandy Owls won their first-ever Conference USA title last Saturday and the second conference title in program history.
Florida Atlantic will match up against a familiar foe in No. 5 LSU to kick things off on Friday. Last season, the Sandy Owls earned a huge signature win over the then No. 5-ranked LSU Tigers, 3-2, on March 20. The win marked Florida Atlantic’s highest-ranked win of the season. Earlier this season, the Sandy Owls fell 3-0 against LSU in a hard-fought match to decision due to weather in Tallahassee. All-time, LSU holds a slight 7-4 lead between the Sandy Owls and the Tigers.
Entering the NCAA Championships, the Sandy Owls’ No. 1 pair of Jillienne Cloud and Julie Honzovicova are perfect this season as a pair, posting an unbeaten nine-match winning streak, including three C-USA Championship wins and capturing the C-USA Championship-clinching point. Cloud boasts a team-best 24-7 record, while Honzovicova matches her season-high wins at 24-8. Florida Atlantic’s pair two, Ellie Austin and Christine Jarman, enter the tournament at 14-13 with a two-match winning streak. Marketa Svozilova and Courtney Moon are 7-1 this season, while Moon holds a pair-high 18-8 record and Svozilova is 8-2 in 2023 after beginning play partly through the season. The Sandy Owls court four pair of Emma Grace Robertson and Ashleigh Adams have a 5-3 season record. The freshman duo have both surpassed 20-wins this season individually with Robertson ranking third on the team in wins with 21 (21-10), while Adams ranks fourth on the Sandy Owls with 20 wins (20-11). Florida Atlantic’s final pair of Logan Mignerey and Stephanie Young are 6-5 as a duo this season. Young boasts a pair-best 15-11 record individually in 2023, while Logan is just behind at 12-9 in 2023.
UP NEXT
With a win, the Sandy Owls will advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals to take on the winner of No. 4 FSU/No. 13 FIU on Saturday, May 6 for an 11 a.m. ET first serve.
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