Wave Picks Up Ranked Win in Saturday Split

Saturday, April 13

Boca Raton, FL

8:30 AM

Tulane University

Florida International University

Apr 13, 2024 | Women's Beach Volleyball

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Tulane University beach volleyball (20-8) earned its first victory over a ranked opponent this season as it split a pair of duals to open play at the Beach Burrow Bash hosted by Florida Atlantic on Saturday. The Green Wave dropped its first match of the against No. 14 Florida International 4-1 but bounced back to pick up a signature victory for its season over No. 18 Florida Atlantic 3-2.

The day started slowly for the Wave in the first match against the 14th-ranked Panthers. Florida International earned two-set wins at flights one and three to take a 2-0 lead. Amelia Mullen and McKenzie Cutler battled to force a third set at flight five, but the Panthers took the point to clinch the match. After another two-set win at flight two for Florida International, Skylar Ensign and Samantha Green managed to deliver the lone point of the dual for the Green Wave at flight four by winning in three sets. S. Ensign tallied 20 kills while Green added 18 in the three-set win to make the final score 4-1 in favor of the Panthers.

Tulane didn't let the defeat in the first dual linger into the afternoon as the Green Wave squared off against another ranked opponent in the 18th-ranked Owls. After Florida Atlantic claimed the early advantage at flight one, Cutler and Mullen tied up the match at 1-1 with a two-set win at flight five. The Owls went back in front with a win at flight three, but again the Wave answered with a two-set win by Sara Hall and Savka Popovic at flight two. The dual came down to flight four where S. Ensign and Green stepped up again to clinch the ranked win for the Green Wave by winning in two sets.

Up next, Tulane will play two more duals at the Beach Burrow Bash on Sunday. The Green Wave will face No. 16 Stetson at 8:30 a.m. CT before finishing the weekend against Florida Gulf Coast at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Saturday Results – April 13
#14 Florida International 4, Tulane 1
1. Giada Bianchi/Reka Orsi Toth (FIU) def. Sara Hall/Molly Trodd (Tulane) 21-10, 21-14
2. Alice Pratesi/Lisa Luini (FIU) def. Trinity Jackson/Savka Popovic (Tulane) 21-15, 21-14
3. Lucie Pokorna/Zuzanna Bielak (FIU) def. Lara Torruella/Sam O'Connor (Tulane) 21-14, 21-13
4. Skylar Ensign/Samantha Green (Tulane) def. Lauren Huggins/Kendra Brown (FIU) 21-16, 19-21, 15-11
5. Zoe Cahill/Hania Taduran (FIU) def. Amelia Mullen/McKenzie Cutler (Tulane) 21-16, 19-21, 15-10
(Exh.) Emma Braticevic/Maria Vinatea (FIU) def. Ainsley Patrick/Tara Gaspar (Tulane) 22-20, 21-15
Order of finish: 6,1,3,5*,2,4

Tulane 3, #18 Florida Atlantic 2
1. Ashleigh Adams/Julie Honzovicova (FAU) def. Jackson/Trodd (Tulane) 21-15, 21-13
2. Hall/Popovic (Tulane) def. Sloane Woolwine/Marketa Svozilova (FAU) 21-17, 21-18
3. Mikayla Law-Heese/Courtney Moon (FAU) def. Torruella/Tawny Ensign (Tulane) 21-17, 21-16
4. S. Ensign/Green (Tulane) def. Brooklyn Goedhart/Logan Mignerey (FAU) 21-16, 21-14
5. Cutler/Mullen (Tulane) def. Kate McLaughlin/Kendall Mignerey (FAU) 21-15, 21-15
(Exh.) Alivia Orvieto/Olivia Strandberg (FAU) vs. Lauren Mann/O'Connor (Tulane) 21-18, 10-11, unfinished
Order of finish: 1,5,3,2,4*

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TULANE ATHLETICS APP
Download the official mobile app of Tulane Athletics. Now, you can stay in touch with the Green Wave anytime and anywhere on your Android or iOS mobile device.

FOLLOW THE GREEN WAVE
Follow Tulane beach volleyball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

WE ARE NOLA BUILT
Tulane University is located in the city of New Orleans. It is a city built on tradition and resiliency. The lessons Green Wave student-athletes have learned through their connection with this university and city have BUILT doctors, lawyers, business leaders, conference champions, all-conference players, all-Americans, professional athletes and NCAA tournament teams. The city of New Orleans has shaped us into who we are today. We are One City. We are Tulane. We are NOLA BUILT. Check out our story at NolaBuilt.com.