Beach Volleyball 2/25/2023 7:29:00 PM

Beach Volleyball Charts Unbeaten Performance to Open 2023

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— Opening spring dual match tournament competition at the Jacksonville Invitational on Friday and Saturday, No. 8 ranked Georgia State beach volleyball secured a perfect 4-0 record over the weekend with victories over host Jacksonville, Palm Beach Atlantic, Tampa and Sun Belt Conference opponent Charleston. Head coach Beth Van Fleet and the Sandy Panthers enter the 2023 season competing as a Sun Belt member program for the conference's inaugural season of beach volleyball and remain undefeated following the wins at the two-day tournament in Jacksonville.

The team's opening-weekend wins mark 160 total NCAA victories for Van Fleet. The Sandy Panthers' head coach is currently tied for third all-time in wins among active NCAA beach volleyball coaches.

Van Fleet approaches 200 total wins since entering coaching at GSU, currently sitting at 192 overall. The team spent its first two seasons from 2014-2015 competing in the AVCA prior to beach volleyball becoming officially recognized as an NCAA sanctioned sport.

Sisters Angel Ferary and Bella Ferary partnered at the top two flights for GSU at the tournament in Jacksonville and posted an undefeated 4-0 performance as a pair. The duo notched back-to-back straight-set victories at the second flight facing Jacksonville and Charleston on Friday, then followed up the wins with an additional pair of victories at the top flight over Palm Beach Atlantic and Tampa on Saturday.

The Ferary sisters enter the spring having finished with a program-best 37-2 record at the fourth flight for GSU a season ago. The sisters each received AVCA Top Flight honors and were named All-Conference First-Team for 2022.

Second-year graduate transfer Yasmin Kuck and Panthers newcomer Lila Bordis paired at the third flight for an undefeated 4-0 record over the weekend. The pair downed opponents in straight sets in all four outings.

Maddy Delmonte and Ayla Johnson paired at the fourth flight for a 3-1 record over the weekend, while Destiny White and newcomer transfer Aliisa Vuorinen teamed at flight No. 5, also charting a 3-1 record.

Elise Saga and Kelly Dorn posted back-to-back three-set victories at the second flight on Saturday and finished the weekend with a 2-2 overall record.

GSU downed host Jacksonville by a final count of 4-1 on Friday, then followed up the win with a 3-2 victory over SBC foe Charleston. Saturday saw GSU chart a 5-0 sweep facing Palm Beach Atlantic, and a 4-1 win over Tampa to close the weekend.

The Sandy Panthers return to action next weekend on March 3-4 at the Tampa Invitational. Dual matches slated for GSU at the two-day tournament in Tampa, Florida will include matchups against three AVCA top-25 ranked opponents.

No. 8 GSU will open the tournament on Friday, March 3 with a meeting against No. 6 Grand Canyon. Slated for 8 a.m. ET, the dual will see the Sandy Panthers rematch GCU having defeated the Lopes in the first round of the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores last season.

GSU will gear up for Friday's second outing against No. 15 Stetson beginning at noon ET. The Sandys notched two victories against the Hatters in 2022.

Returning to play on Saturday, March 4, the team will open the second day of competition in Tampa with a dual match facing No. 3 TCU at 10 a.m. ET.

GSU previously battled TCU for second-round competition at the NCAA Championships last year. The team's historic upset over the second-ranked Horned Frogs marked the largest upset in NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship tournament history.

GSU will close tournament competition in Tampa with a matchup against Florida Gulf Coast at 2 p.m. ET. The team's last meeting with FGCU came in 2022 and saw GSU down the Eagles, 4-1.

More information will be released later in the week leading up to the team's second tournament in Florida. Follow GSU Beach Volleyball on social media (@GSUBeachVb) for the latest news and updates on the Sandy Panthers' 2023 campaign.

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