No. 12 Sandy Owls Split Against Southern Miss and Host No. 17 FIU

Saturday, March 1

Miami, Fla.

12 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

Southern Miss

Julie Honzovicova at 2024 Fall Tournament

Photo by: Mauricio Paiz

No. 12 Sandy Owls Split Against Southern Miss and Host No. 17 FIU

3/1/2025 8:15:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

MIAMI – The No. 12 Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team beat Southern Miss, 4-1, but saw its season-opening, seven-game winning streak snapped by No. 17 FIU, 3-2, to split their its final two matches at the FIU Invite on Saturday in Maimi.

The Sandy Owls move to 7-1 on the season and 1-1 in CUSA play. Southern Miss drops to 2-7 and No. 17 FIU moves to 6-2.

NO. 12 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 4 – SOUTHERN MISS 1

The Sandy Owls got on the board first with a two-set win on court four. Sydney Schroder and Shantel Starling defeated Southern Miss' Jaden White and Kitija Mar Adamsone, 21-14, 21-10. The Golden Eagles evened things at 1-1 after taking court two. Julie Honzovicova and Klaire VanDeusen dropped a two-setter to Southern Miss' Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda, 21-19, 21-19. Olivia Strandberg and Maddie Sides pushed Florida Atlantic back in front, earning their first win of the season as a pair, defeating Southern Miss' Giovanna Gurg Bahia and Ryann Thomas, 21-11, 21-10. Marketa Svozilova and Ashleigh Adams secured their seventh straight-set win this season to clinch the match for the Owls, taking a 21-19, 21-6 win over the Golden Eagles' top pair of Zuzanna Michalska and Madison Cassidy. Kate McLaughlin and Kendall Mignerey closed out the 4-1 win for Florida Atlantic, earning a comeback three-set win on court three at 18-21, 21-17, 15-13, over USM's Y-Nhu Do and Dylan Russell.

Scores
1. Marketa Svozilova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) def. Zuzanna Michalska/Madison Cassidy (USM) 21-19, 21-6
2. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM) def. Julie Honzovicova/Klaire VanDeusen (FAU) 21-19, 21-19
3. Kate McLaughlin/Kendall Mignerey (FAU) def. Y-Nhu Do/Dylan Russell (USM) 18-21, 21-17, 15-13
4. Sydney Schroder/Shantel Starling (FAU) def. Jaden White/Kitija Mar Adamsone (USM) 21-14, 21-10
5. Olivia Strandberg/Maddie Sides (FAU) def. Giovanna Gurg Bahia/Ryann Thomas (USM) 21-11, 21-10

Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 1, 3

NO. 12 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 2 – NO. 17 FIU 3

The Sandy Owls scored first, taking a straight-set win on court two with Honzovicova and VanDeusen defeating FIU's Julia Panko and Ola Cudzik, 21-17, 21-14. FIU evened up the match on court four, as Starling and Kate Stoughton dropped a two-setter against the Panters' Arianna Franklin and Sofie Vogel, 21-17, 21-18. Adams and Svozilova pushed the Sandy Owls back in front 2-1, capturing their eighth straight-set win of the season in a dominant win at the ones over FIU's Maria Sanchez and Ella Gray, 21-11, 21-11. FIU evened the match yet again at 2-2 after McLaughlin and Mignerey fell in two sets against the Panthers' Katarina Drodz and Brianna Luoma, 21-15, 21-13. FIU clinched the match on court five as the Owls' pair of Stranberg and Shayna Wolf dropped their first match of the season, falling 21-19, 21-18 against FIU's Zoe Cahill and Kendra Brown.

Scores
1. Marketa Svozilova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) def. Maria Sanchez/Ella Gray (FIU) 21-11, 21-11
2. Julie Honzovicova/Klaire VanDeusen (FAU) def. Julia Panko/Ola Chudzik (FIU) 21-17, 21-14
3. Katarina Drodz/Brianna Luoma (FIU) def. Kate McLaughlin/Kendall Mignerey (FAU) 21-15, 21-13
4. Arianna Franklin/Sofie Vogel (FIU) def. Shantel Starling/Kate Stoughton (FAU) 21-17, 21-18
5. Zoe Cahill/Kendra Brown (FIU) def. Olivia Strandberg/Shayna Wolf (FAU) 21-19, 21-18

Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1, 3, 5

NOTABLES

The Sandy Owls improve to 5-0 all-time against Southern Miss but fall to 8-19 all-time vs. FIU.
Ashleigh Adams earned her 50th career win after her straight-set victory against Southern Miss.
Marketa Svozilova and Ashleigh Adams extended their perfect season record to 8-0, earning their seventh and eighth straight-set wins.
Klaire VanDeusen and Julie Honzovicova and Kate McLaughlin and Kendall Mignerey both moved to 5-3 this season, which ranks second on the team.
Sydney Schroder and Shantel Starling improved to 4-2 this season after earning a win over Southern Miss.
Olivia Strandberg and Maddie Sides earned their first pair win this season in their straight-set victory over the Golden Eagles.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic heads to the Lone Star State next weekend as it prepares to compete in the TCU Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

FOLLOW THE SANDY OWLS

For updates, follow @FAUBeachVB on Twitter and Instagram, or like FAU Beach Volleyball on Facebook.