DELAND, Fla. --- The College of Charleston beach volleyball team dropped its season opener to No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast before bouncing back with a 4-1 win over Mercer to salvage a split on day one of the Stetson Spring Fling on Friday afternoon.
 
QUICK SETS
Final Score (Match One): No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast 5, College of Charleston 0
Final Score (Match Two): College of Charleston 4, Mercer 1
Location: Deland, Fla. (Cooper Beach Courts)
Records: Charleston (1-1), Florida Gulf Coast (1-1), Mercer (0-2)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cougars put up a concerted effort against the 20^th-ranked Eagles in their first match of the day pushing Florida Gulf Coast to three sets in three of the five flights before ultimately falling, 5-0. The duos of Sky Benjamin/Sofie Vogel and Maria Zweig/Gabi Bailey both took a one set to none advantage in flights one and four but were unable to close out the win.
 
In the second match of the day, Rebeca Olariu and Jasmin Goei set the tone with a 21-13, 21-9 win at five's before Zweig and Bailey doubled the lead to 2-0 with a 21-10, 21-14 victory at four's. Three-set wins by the duos of Amani Dunston/Emma Falk and Kyra Thompson/Ella Reames in the second and third flights, respectively, secured the Cougars' first victory of the season.
 
PAIR OF THE DAY
Thompson and Reames gave Florida Gulf Coast's third pairing everything they could handle in the first match pushing the Eagles' three's to three sets in a 15-21, 21-19, 15-17 decision. The duo then battled their way to a 21-16, 20-22, 15-8 victory over Mercer's three's to earn a split on the day.
 
NOTABLES

• Four pairings finished the day with a 1-1 record including the duo of Reames and Thompson.
• Dunston and Falk, as well as Bailey and Zweig, both went 1-1 at two's and four's, respectively.
• Olariu and Goei posted a 1-1 mark as well at five's.

No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast 5, College of Charleston 0
1. Jacqueline Carpenter/Kristine Gardner (FGCU) def. Sofie Vogel/Sky Benjamin (COFC) 19-21, 21-16, 15-8
2. Kacie Johnson/Maddison Parmelly (FGCU) def. Amani Dunston/Emma Falk (COFC) 21-17, 21-15
3. Snowy Burnam/Lexie Hamilton (FGCU) def. Kyra Thompson/Ella Reames (COFC) 21-15, 19-21, 17-15
4. Emma Hansen/Kaitlyn Luebbers (FGCU) def. Maria Zweig/Gabi Bailey (COFC) 13-21, 21-19, 15-7
5. Trinity Rosales/Shelby Beisner (FGCU) def. Rebecca Olariu/Jasmin Goei (COFC) 21-15, 21-19
Ext. Elizabeth Richmond/Skylar English (FGCU) def. Tynley Smeltzer/Mikaela Dougherty (COFC) 21-17, 19-21, 15-13
 
College of Charleston 4, Mercer 1
1. Olivia Boeve/Lexi Polychones (MU) def. Sky Benjamin/Sofie Vogel (COFC) 11-21, 21-18, 15-12
2. Amani Dunston/Emma Falk (COFC) def. Nicole O'Mara/Sydney Benson (MU) 21-14, 18-21, 15-10
3. Kyra Thompson/Ella Reames (COFC) def. Alyssa Scoggins/Jordan Paddock (MU) 21-16, 20-22, 15-8
4. Maria Zweig/Gabi Bailey (COFC) def. Hana Robertson/Ellie Miller (MU) 21-10, 21-14
5. Rebecca Olariu/Jasmin Goei (COFC) def. Jordan Morris/Reese Hood (MU) 21-13, 21-9
6. Alexa Psotka/Molly Russell (COFC) vs. Emily Earwood/Kathryn Corbett (MU) no result
 
NEXT UP
The Cougars will square off against a pair of ranked opponents on Saturday when they face No. 19 Stetson at 8:00 a.m. and No. 18 South Carolina at 12:00 p.m. on the second day of the Stetson Spring Fling.