FGCU VB @ FIU Preview

The FGCU volleyball team (16-3, 6-1 A-SUN) will take a quick breather from A-SUN play as they travel down Alligator Alley to Miami to face Florida International (9-7, 2-3 C-USA) Wednesday night, October 16 at 6 pm at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

Last Time Out:
The Eagles are coming off this weekend from A-SUN Conference Play at home as they shutout Jacksonville 3-0 Friday night before defeating Kennesaw State 3-1 Sunday afternoon. This will be one of the two final non-conferences match on the season for the Eagles.

What It Do:
Junior Cortney VanLiew continues to lead the offense for the Eagles while still achieving several milestones. VanLiew currently has 281 kills in her name along with 14 aces, while also adding 136 digs and 32 blocks (seven solo) on the defensive side. VanLiew had 18 kills, 14 digs and four blocks (two solo) combined in the matches against Jacksonville and Kennesaw.

In her career, VanLiew has 1,071 career kills (fourth all-time) and has moved up in several spots in solo blocks and digs. VanLiew earned her 21st and 22nd solo blocks this past weekend as she surpassed Cara Ziegler (21, 2006-07), Karina Mambuca (21, 2012-13) and Roberta Santos (21, 2007-08) for 12th all-time and needs two to pass Melissa Duffield (23, 2005) for 11th all-time. In digs, VanLiew moved her up to 671 and needs 11 to pass Vanessa Benke (681, 2013-15) for 13th all-time.

A Frozen Milestone:
Junior Snowy Burnam has been a big factor both offensively and defensively. Burnam is fourth on the team with 120 kills and third in blocks (43, two solo). In her matches against Jacksonville and Kennesaw, Burnam had seven kills in both matches with 21 combined digs and four blocks.

Furthermore, Burnam has 565 career and is eight shy of surpassing Leigh Pudwill (572, 2015-16) for 15th all-time while battling senior Giovanna Borgiotti (535 career kills) in the top 20 in career kills.

In addition, Burnam's 21 digs made her the 19th Eagle to reach 500 career digs as she has 504 and needs 21 to surpass Ingrid Felicio (524, 2004-05) for 18th all-time.

Ooh Spicy:
Senior Daniele Serrano has also been making her marks offensively and defensively. Serrano is third on the team in kills (127) but leads the team with 62 blocks (nine solo). Serrano had a combined 15 kills and eight blocks (one solo).

As far as milestones, the Sanford native has 741 career kills. Serrano needs 97 to pass Ericka Fonseca (837, 2005-06) for seventh all-time.

Meanwhile, her eight blocks put her at 425 in her career as she passed Campbell's Rachel Templin (422, 2003-06) for third most in A-SUN history Her next destination is UNF's Morgan Van Alstine (435, 2013-16) for second all-time. Serrano's solo block against Jacksonville surpassed Olivia Mesner's (62, 2011-14) program record as she became the all-time leader in career total blocks, solo blocks and block assists.

Dig City!!!:
For sophomore Dana Axner, she currently leads the team with 331 digs while adding 16 aces in her name. In her matches against Jacksonville and Kennesaw, Axner totaled a combined 28 digs and one ace, In her career, the native of Dublin, Ohio has 955 career digs (eighth all-time) passing Gigi Meyer (947, 2011-14) for seventh all-time. Axner's next milestone is Courtney Stephens (1,084, 2014-17) for sixth all-time and needs 130 to reach the milestone.

Missile Lock:
Sophomore Chelsea Lockey still leads the team with 733 assists while adding 134 digs, 14 aces and 34 blocks (three solo). In the matches against Jacksonville and Kennesaw, Lockey had 75 assists, 12 digs, two aces and six blocks (one solo).

In her career, Lockey has 1,210 career assists and her next milestone is Roberta Santos (1,475, 2007-08) and needs 266 to become fifth all-time. In the match against Kennesaw, Lockey surpassed Camil Dominguez (450, 2010-11) for the program's fifth-most career assists in A-SUN regular season play

300 and Beyond:
Head coach Matt Botsford and longtime assistant coach Daniel Mahy have been on track on their coaching careers.

Botsford earned his 131st and 132nd wins as a coach for the Eagles against Jacksonville and Kennesaw, while in his career he has 373 career wins. The wins include as an assistant coach with Indianapolis (NCAA Division II, 1999-2000), IUPUI (2001-2004), Miami (2004-2008), Notre Dame (2008-11) and Colorado State (2012-14).

Mahy, who enters his 14th year as assistant coach, earned his 282nd and 283rd wins this past weekend as a coach for the Eagles and earned his 309th and 310th in his career. 28 of Mahy's career wins were with NCAA DII Barry University (2006-07) for two seasons before returning to FGCU in 2008. Mahy has coached for all three head coaches for FGCU in his 14 seasons with the Eagles: Jaye Flood (2003-05), Dave Nichols (2006-13*) and Botsford (2014-present).

*Mahy was with Nichols at Barry prior to returning to FGCU.

Second year assistant coach Stephanie Zelinski earned her 70th and 71st career wins as a coach.

Scouting FIU:
The Panthers are coming off a three-set loss to Western Kentucky on Sunday, but have won two of their past three - including a five-set win over Florida Atlantic on Oct. 6. In terms of other common opponents with the Eagles, FIU has defeated Stetson, Jacksonville and North Florida while losing to Indiana. Currently, the Panthers are in seventh in Conference USA.

The Panthers have three players with at least 140 kills in Fiorella Murillo, Sidney Henderson and Gina Lipscomb, but they are hitting .202 as a team. Chelsea Hudson (98 kills, .420) is the only player above .270 on the team. Abbie Hughes leads the way in assists with 605, while Mrythe Maring registers 1.05 blocks per set. Lina Bernier has totaled 290 digs, or 4.83 per set.

Series History:
The Eagles are 9-5 against the Panthers. Last time both teams met, the Eagles shutout the Panthers 3-0 at the Alico Arena.

Livestats will be provided for the match: https://fiusports.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary

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