GULF SHORES, Ala. – The No.11th-ranked Florida Atlantic University beach volleyball team (9-6, 3-0 in Conference USA) beat its highest ranked opponent in program history after defeating No. 5 LSU (15-1) with a dual score of 3-2. The Owls' victory handed the Tigers their first loss of the season.
Erica Brok and
Mackenzie Morris, who finished 4-1 on the weekend, clinched the match for the Owls.
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"Today's win was for Capri [Grotowski]," said assistant coach
Steve Grotowski. "We have been really close to playing our style of volleyball and today we nailed it! Abby [Jackson]/Logan [Mignerey] came out at the 5s and set the tone for the whole team. They were confident and aggressive. It was just what we needed!"
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Vs. No. 5 LSU (W, 3-2)
As Coach Grotowski mentioned, Jackson/Mignerey set the tone for the whole match on court five by winning in straight sets, 21-13, 21-19. LSU then tied the dual score at 1-1 following a 21-13, 21-17 win on court four.
Courtney Moon/
Marketa Svozilova brought it back for the Owls on court two with a 21-12, 21-17 straight set victory, as the Owls led 2-1. Court's three match would then fall in the Tigers' favor (21-16, 21-19), leaving it up to court one for the match decision. Brok/Morris dropped the first set 17-21, but forced a third set with a 21-17 victory in set two. The pair continued to pull away with a dominant 15-8 advantage in the third set to clinch the match for FAU.
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Scores
1.
Erica Brok/
Mackenzie Morris (FAU) def. Bella Bauman/Ashlyn Rasnick-Page (LSU) 17-21, 21-17, 15-8 (finished fifth)
2.
Courtney Moon/
Marketa Svozilova (FAU) def. Kylie Deberg/Parker Bracken (LSU) 21-12, 21-17 (finished third)
3. Holly Carlton/Reilly Alfred (LSU) def.
Ellie Austin/
Julie Honzovicova (FAU) 21-16, 21-19 (finished fourth)
4. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Grace Seits (LSU) def.
Jillienne Cangelosi/
Christine Jarman (FAU) 21-13, 21-17 (finished second)
5.
Abby Jackson/
Logan Mignerey (FAU) def. Sierra Caffo/Ellie Shank (LSU) 21-13, 21-19 (finished first)
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- Brok and Morris finished the weekend with a 4-1 record, downing the court one pairs from the No. 5, 7 and 15th-ranked teams in the country. The duo is 83-26 all-time as a pair with an 12-3 mark on the season
- Moon/Svozilova boast the second best record on the team as a pair this season at 7-3
- Jackson/Mignerey paired up for the first time this season and it paid off, as the pair earned the win to set the tone in the match
- Jackson has the fifth most wins on court five in school history with 10
- FAU broke a five-match losing streak to the Tigers, becoming the first time since 2018 the team has beaten LSU
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The Owls will head to DeLand, Florida for the Stetson Beach Bash next weekend. FAU is set to face tournament-host Stetson, as well as C-USA foes Georgia State, FIU and Coastal Carolina from Saturday, March 26 to Sunday, March 27.
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