Beach Volleyball Falls in Hard-Fought Battles with No. 9 TCU, No. 14 FIU

Saturday, March 6

Fort Worth, Texas

9:40 a.m.

Southern Miss

No. 14 FIU

Beach Volleyball Falls in Hard-Fought Battles with No. 9 TCU, No. 14 FIU

3/6/2021 8:23:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Southern Miss beach volleyball team went toe-to-toe in several sets throughout the second day of the Horned Frog Classic, but ultimately fell 4-1 to No. 14 FIU and 5-0 to No. 9 and host TCU.

Six of Southern Miss' eight opponents so far are ranked in the top-18, and this also marked the program's first trip to Texas.

Kylie Grandy and Abbey Wilson earned a nail-biting, 21-19 victory on No. 1 against FIU before the Panthers retired the set. That same lead duo forced TCU's top group, which also won AVCA National Pair of the Week honors, to a 22-20 decision that could have forced a winner-take-all play to 15.

Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou and Kai Norman earned a 21-15 win over TCU on No. 4 in the nightcap, but fell 15-11 in the third.

The Golden Eagles will return to action Saturday and Sunday in Columbia, S.C., for the Carolina Challenge. Participating teams include Jacksonville, South Carolina, Mercer and Coastal Carolina.

No. 14 FIU 4, Southern Miss 1
1. Abbey Wilson/Kylie Grandy (USM) def. FRASCA, Federica/ROBEIRO, Roberta (FIU) 21-19, retired
2. KALKHOFF, Paige/HUGHES, Abbie (FIU) def. Breleigh Favre/Olivia Hepworth (USM) 21-14, 21-7
3. BERNIER, Lina/LIPSCOMB, Gina (FIU) def. Hallie Phelan/Haley Hop (USM) 21-15, 21-9
4. MANCINELLI, Raquelle/BIANCHI, Giada (FIU) def. Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou/Kai Norman (USM) 21-18, 21-13
5. BRANDSTETTER, Sophia/SCHWANTZ, Bobbie (FIU) def. Kaylie Beck/Melanie Miller (USM) 21-17, 21-14
Ext. DAUM, Madison/DAVIS, Anna (FIU) def. Faith Miller/Haley Rogers (USM) 21-6, 21-14

No. 9 TCU 5, Southern Miss 0
1. Daniela Alvarez/Tania Moreno Mateeva (TCU) def. Kylie Grandy/Abbey Wilson (USM) 21-11, 22-20
2. Olivia Blackburn/Hailey Brockett (TCU) def. Kellie Garraway/Olivia Hepworth (USM) 21-9, 21-9
3. Rochelle Scott/Maria Gonzalez (TCU) def. Hallie Phelan/Haley Hop (USM) 21-12, 21-14
4. Caroline White/Tara Patton (TCU) def. Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou/Kai Norman (USM) 20-22, 21-15, 15-11
5. Megan Jacobsen/Peyton Yamagata (TCU) def. Kaylie Beck/Melanie Miller (USM) 21-13, 21-14
Ext. Kathryn Kramer/Logyn Hinds (TCU) def. Faith Miller/Haley Rogers (USM) 21-5, 21-9