TAVARES, Fla. --- The College of Charleston beach volleyball team spit with No. 13 Florida International and New Mexico on Saturday to finish with a 3-1 weekend at the Hickory Point Lake Bash. Charleston fell to FIU, 5-0, in the early afternoon, before hanging on to edge New Mexico, 3-2, in the evening session.
 
In the first contest of the day, College of Charleston (5-3) battled throughout and pushed three matches to three sets, but ultimately fell to No. 13 Florida International (10-5), 5-0. Allison Beckman (Apex, N.C.) and Lauren Freed (Troy, Ohio) got off to a strong start at fours with a 21-18 first-set win, before FIU's tandem bounced back with a 21-13 second set and a 15-8 decision in the third.
 
Taylor Foley (Agoura Hills, Calif.) and Logan Manusky (San Diego, Calif.) gave everything they had at fives in a 24-26, 28-26, 8-15 decision, while Devon Rachel (Louisville, Ky.) and McKala Rhodes (Charleston, S.C.) pushed it to three at twos in a 21-12, 12-21, 13-15 setback. Britney Vallez (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and Lauren Hollman (Union, Ky.) fell at sixes, 11-21, 21-19, 6-15.
 
The Cougars bounced back with a gritty 3-2 win against New Mexico, taking the first two points at fours and fives as the duos of Beckman/Freed and Foley/Manusky each registered straight set wins. New Mexico answered with 2-0 victories at ones and threes to even the tally at 2-2, setting up twos as the deciding point.
 
Rachel and Rhodes answered the call for the Cougars, edging New Mexico's tandem 12-21, 21-12, 15-6 to help the Cougars clinch the 3-2 win. At sixes, Vallez and Hollman posted a gritty 19-21, 21-15, 15-9 victory.
 
The Cougars return to the courts on Tuesday when they travel to Mobile, Ala. to take on Spring Hill (Ala.) at 3:00 pm.
 
No. 13 Florida International 5, College of Charleston 0
1. Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU) def. Krissy Mummey/Katja Ehlers (COFC) 21-10, 21-10
2. Erika Zembyla/Anabela Sataric (FIU) def. Devon Rachel/McKala Rhodes (COFC) 12-21, 21-12, 15-13
3. Lina Bernier/Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Kennedy Madison/Riana Brennan (COFC) 21-14, 21-15
4. Estefanie Bethancour/Natalia Giron (FIU) def. Allison Beckman/Lauren Freed (COFC) 18-21, 21-13, 15-8
5. Mariana Dal Pozzo/Taija Thomas (FIU) def. Taylor Foley/Logan Manusky (COFC) 26-24, 26-28, 15-8
Ext. Erin Byrne/Mariana DePaula Silv (FIU) def. Brtney Vallez/Lauren Hollman (COFC) 21-11, 19-21, 15-6
 
College of Charleston 3, New Mexico 2
1. Maddie Irwin/Erin Martin (NM) def. Krissy Mummey/Katja Ehlers (COFC) 21-19, 21-17
2. Devon Rachel/McKala Rhodes (COFC) def. Eastyn Baleto/Lauren Twitty (NM) 12-21, 21-12, 15-6
3. Chloe Crappell/Yasmin Tan (NM) def. Riana Brennan/Kennedy Madison (COFC) 21-19, 23-21
4. Allison Beckman/Lauren Freed (COFC) def. Carly Beddingfield/Mercedes Pacheco (NM) 21-10, 21-13
5. Taylor Foley/Logan Manusky (COFC) def. Abbey Willison/Kayla Long (NM) 21-14, 21-14
Ext. Britney Vallez/Lauren Hollman (COFC) won 19-21, 21-15, 15-9