COLUMBIA, S.C. --- The College of Charleston beach volleyball team opened the day with its second win against Coastal Carolina in as many weekends before falling to No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast, 4-1, to close out the regular season with a Saturday split at the Palmetto Invitational.
 
QUICK SETS
Final Score (Match One): College of Charleston 3, Coastal Carolina 2
Final Score (Match Two): No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast 4, College of Charleston 1
Location: Columbia, S.C. (Wheeler Beach)
Records: Charleston (19-11), Coastal Carolina (17-13), Florida Gulf Coast (22-8)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cougars came out strong to start the day, taking a 2-0 lead into the second wave against Coastal Carolina with back-to-back three-set wins at fours and fives. Kyra Thompson and Gabi Bailey then secured the dual victory with their 19^th win of the season in the third flight.
 
Charleston delivered a sensational start against Florida Gulf Coast as well, taking the first set at both fours and fives but were unable to hang on in a pair of closely contested three-set decisions. Florida Gulf Coast would clinch the dual with straight-set victories at both twos and threes before Ella Reames and Sky Benjamin averted the sweep with a hard-fought three-set win in the top flight.
 
PAIR OF THE DAY
Reames and Benjamin continued their strong play with a 1-1 day on Saturday highlighted by a 23-21, 17-21, 19-17 victory against Florida Gulf Coast's ones. The duo fell to Coastal Carolina's top pairing 21-19, 13-21, 11-15.
 
NOTABLES

• With their victory against Coastal Carolina, Thompson and Bailey moved into a tie for second on the program's single-season pairs win list with 19 thus far.
• Thompson and Bailey have each collected 21 wins overall this season which ties them for second on the individual single-season list.
• Benjamin's win against Florida Gulf Coast moves her into eighth on the all-time dual victories list (38). Reames is now 10^th all-time with 33 dual wins.
• Charleston picked up its 19^th victory of the season which puts the Cougars one shy of equaling the single-season mark of 20 set in 2019. 

College of Charleston 3, Coastal Carolina 2
1. Martine Kragholm/Sarah Riedell (CCU) def. Sky Benjamin/Ella Reames (COFC) 19-21, 21-13, 15-11
2. Irena Drobnjak/Ellie Hanford (CCU) def. Amani Dunston/Sofie Vogel (COFC) 21-15, 19-21, 15-12
3. Kyra Thompson/Gabi Bailey (COFC) def. Elena Sanchez/Madison Allred (CCU) 21-15, 21-17
4. Emma Falk/Rebecca Olariu (COFC) def. Natalie Honzovicova/Madie Lichty (CCU) 21-19, 21-23, 15-11
5. Jasmin Goei/Tynley Smeltzer (COFC) def. Carli Ginther/Raychel Ehlers (CCU) 21-16, 19-21, 16-14
Ext. Kalin Eske/Emma Gonzalez (CCU) vs. Marie Martinsen/Brooke Harris (COFC) 21-18, 18-21, unfinished
 
No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast 4, College of Charleston 1
1. Ella Reames/Sky Benjamin (COFC) def. Maddison Parmelly/Kacie Johnson (FGCU) 23-21, 17-21, 19-17
2. Jacqueline Carpenter/Lexie Hamilton (FGCU) def. Amani Dunston/Gabi Bailey (COFC) 21-19, 21-17
3. Shelby Beisner/Trinity Rosales (FGCU) def. Sofie Vogel/Kyra Thompson (COFC) 21-15, 21-19
4. Snowy Burnam/Cortney Vanliew (FGCU) def. Emma Falk/Rebecca Olariu (COFC) 8-21, 21-19, 17-15
5. Kaitlyn Luebbers/Emma Hansen (FGCU) def. Jasmin Goei/Tynley Smeltzer (COFC) 18-21, 21-19, 15-11
Ext. Skylar English/Elizabeth Richmond (FGCU) def. Mikaela Dougherty/Molly Russell (COFC) 21-10, 21-15

NEXT UP
The Cougars will now await the announcement of the pools and schedule for next weekend's ASUN Conference Championship to be held Friday, April 22 through Monday, April 25 at the John Hunt Sand Volleyball Complex in Huntsville, Ala.