March 9, 2014
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team wrapped up its weekend at the North Florida Invitational with a split of its two matches on Sunday at the St. Augustine Beach Pier Pavilion.
After falling 5-0 to ninth-ranked Florida International in their first match of the day, the Gamecocks bounced back with a 4-1 victory over Florida Atlantic to finish the program’s first-ever weekend of competition with a 2-2 record.
“Florida International is a really good team,” South Carolina head coach Moritz Moritz said. “I think it was a huge learning experience for us to see somebody that has competed in the national championships. It was good for the team to finish off strong (with a win over Florida Atlantic) and take everything that we’ve learned over this weekend and be successful.”
Against Florida Atlantic, South Carolina’s No. 5 pair of Erin Neuenfeldt and Chynna Ratner fell to Krista Tekavec and Lexi Rhein by the scores of 21-17 and 21-16, but the Gamecocks didn’t let that phase them as they went on to win the remaining points.
In the No. 4 pairs match, Carolina’s KoKo Atoa-Williams and Litsa Darby picked up their first win of the weekend, defeating Florida Atlantic’s Gabby Pyle and Andie Galinis in three sets by the scores of 22-20, 10-21 and 15-11.
Jordan Loney and Jade Vitt gave Carolina its second point, winning the No. 2 match in two sets by the scores of 21-19 and 21-13 over Megan Knapp and Mandy McIntosh.
With the Gamecocks leading Florida Atlantic 2-1 in the dual, No. 1 pair Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent clinched the match for South Carolina by defeating Natalie Fraley and Darija Sataric in three sets, 21-6, 19-21 and 15-12.
The Gamecocks No. 2 pair of Sarah Blomgren and Mikaela Christiaansen then closed out the day with a two-set victory over Lauren D’Amato and Beth Schoaff by the scores of 21-15 and 21-15.
In the No. 1 pairs match against Florida International, the Gamecock duo of Wheeler and Kent shook off a 21-8 loss in the first set to Ksenia Sukhoreva and Maja Rosko and bounced back to win the second set 21-18. However, Sukhoreva and Rosko took the third set 15-5 to win the match.
Blomgren and Christiaansen dropped straight sets to FIU’s Tina Toghiyani and Aren Cupp at No. 2, 21-18 and 21-16.
After falling 21-14 in the first set to the Panthers’ Kristine Monforte and Marytna Gluchowicz, Loney and Vitt responded with a 22-20 win in the second set. But Monforte and Gluchowicz claimed the match for FIU with a 15-8 win in set three.
The Gamecock pair of Atoa-Williams and Darby fell to FIU’s Jessica Mendoza and Jessica Gehrke, 21-8 and 21-8, in the No. 4 pairs match. At No. 5 Neuenfeldt and Ratner dropped both sets to Maryna Samoday and Camila Rosado, 21-12 and 21-10.
South Carolina returns to action on Tuesday at Georgia State. The Gamecocks will face Mercer at 1 p.m. and the Panthers at 5 p.m. at the GSU Sand Complex in Atlanta, Ga.
No. 9 Florida International 5, South Carolina 0
No. 1 Ksenia Sukhoreva/Maja Rosko (FIU) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 21-8, 18-21, 15-5
No. 2 Tina Toghiyani/Aren Cupp (FIU) def. Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christiaansen (SC) 21-18, 21-16
No. 3 Kristine Monforte/Marytna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-14, 20-22, 15-8
No. 4 Jessica Mendoza/Jessica Gehrke (FIU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Litsa Darby (SC) 21-8, 21-8
No. 5 Maryna Samoday/Camila Rosado (FIU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-12, 21-10
South Carolina 4, Florida Atlantic 1
No. 1 Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) def. Natalie Fraley/Darija Sataric (FAU) 21-6, 19-21, 15-12
No. 2 Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christiaansen (SC) def. Lauren D’Amatao/Beth Schoaff (FAU) 21-15, 21-15
No. 3 Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Megan Knapp/Mandy McIntosh (FAU) 21-19, 21-13
No. 4 KoKo-Atoa Williams/Litsa Darby (SC) def. Gabby Pyle/Andie Galinis (FAU) 22-20, 10-21, 15-11
No. 5 Krista Tekavec/Lexi Rhein (FAU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-17, 21-16
