No. 15 Florida Atlantic Remains Perfect After Day One

Friday, February 20

Boca Raton, Fla.

12 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

Coastal Carolina

2/20/2026 9:59:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The No. 15 Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team finished its first day of the 2026 season perfect, earning wins over Coastal Carolina, 3-2, and Boise State, 4-1.

Florida Atlantic improves to 2-0, while Coastal Carolina fell to 0-1 and Boise State moved to 1-1 on the first day of the 2026 season.

The Sandy Owls struck first as Cameron Knifton and Allison Spittal earned a three-set win on court five, 21-15, 18-21, 15-11. Coastal Carolina evened things up at one after taking a three-setter on court four. Olivia Strandberg and Ava Koehl put the Owls back in front after rallying for a three-set comeback win at the 3s, 17-21, 21-14, 15-11. The Chanticleers tied up the match once again at 2-2 after taking court one in three sets. However, Kendall Mignerey and Reese Edwards clinched the win for FAU on court two, taking the three-set battle 21-19, 17-21, 15-13.

In their final match of the day, the Sandy Owls had a strong start. Klaire VanDeusen and Mia Scanlon secured the Owls' first point of the match, earning FAU first straight-set win of the season on court four, 21-12, 21-12. Olivia Strandberg and Ava Koehl extended the Sandy Owls' lead to 2-0, taking a three-set win on court three, 21-15, 18-21, 15-7. Cameron Knifton and Allison Spittal clinched the match for FAU, earning a comeback three-set win at the 5s, 13-21, 21-18, 17-15. Denisse Morgenstern and Shantel Starling picked up the Sandy Owls' fourth point, taking a three-set battle on court one, 21-13, 12-21, 15-12. Boise State closed out the match by taking court two in straight sets to bring the match to its final, 4-1.

No. 15 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3 – COASTAL CAROLINA 2
Scores
1. Emma Kunaus/ Frida Meincke Lyo (CCU) def. Denisse Morgenstern/Shantel Starling (FAU) 21-16, 18-21, 15-11
2. Kendall Mignerey/ Reese Edwards (FAU) def. Maya McNabney/ Kristyna Koblizkova (CCU) 21-19, 17-21, 15-13
3. Olivia Strandberg/Ava Koehl (FAU) def. Ava Novello/Ella Wadsworth (CCU) 17-21, 21-14, 15-11
4. Madeline Sigmon/ Courtney Burnham (CCU) def. Klaire VanDeusen/Mia Scanlon (FAU) 21-17, 19-21, 15-12
5. Cameron Knifton/Allison Spittal (FAU) def. Anna Rita/Jillian Stein (CCU) 21-15, 18-21, 15-11

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

No. 15 FLORIDA ATLANTIC 4 – BOISE STATE 1
Scores
1. Denisse Morgenstern/Shantel Starling (FAU) def. Ava Anderson/Addison Wolden (Boise) 21-13, 12-21, 15-12
2. Allyson Alden/Serena van der Made (Boise) def. Kendall Mignerey/Reese Edwards (FAU) 21-18, 21-17
3. Olivia Strandberg/Ava Koehl (FAU) def. Avery Allen/Addison Moss (Boise) 21-15, 18-21, 15-7
4. Klaire VanDeusen/Mia Scanlon (FAU) def. Lily Patock/Keira Demirjian (Boise) 21-12, 21-12
5. Cameron Knifton/Allison Spittal (FAU) def. Avery Bowidowicz/Summer McCann (Boise) 13-21, 21-18, 17-15

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

NOTABLES

Coastal Carolina and Boise State both received votes in the AVCA preseason poll.
The Sandy Owls improve to 3-1 all-time against Coastal Carolina and remain a perfect 2-0 all-time versus Boise State.
The Sandy Owls pairs of Cameron Knifton and Allison Spittal, and Olivia Strandberg and Ava Koehl finished the day with a perfect 2-0 record, both playing as pairs for the first time.
Klaire VanDeusen and Mia Scanlon, Kendall Mignerey and Reese Edwards, and Denisse Morgenstern and Shantel Starling finished 1-1 after the opening day of play.
VanDeusen and Scanlon move to 5-8 as a pair, and Mignerey and Edwards move to 3-3 all-time as a pair.
It also marked the first time Morgenstern and Starling had played together.

UP NEXT
The Sandy Owls close out play in the Beach Burrow Bash on Saturday, Feb. 21, facing off against Palm Beach Atlantic at 2 p.m., before closing out the weekend against CUSA rival FIU at 4 p.m.

FOLLOW THE SANDY OWLS
To stay up to date with everything Florida Atlantic Beach Volleyball, follow @FAUBeachVB on X and Instagram, or like FAU Beach Volleyball on Facebook.