TAMPA, Fla., February 20, 2026 – The University of South Florida beach volleyball team opened its inaugural season Friday at the Green Wave Invitational, earning the first dual victory in program history with a 4–1 win over New Orleans before narrowly falling to LSU, 3–2, at the White Sands Volleyball Courts.
 
South Florida (1–1) claimed four courts against the host Privateers to secure the historic first win, then pushed LSU to the final court in a tightly contested afternoon dual.
 
South Florida 4, New Orleans 1

The Bulls secured their first dual victory behind straight-set wins on courts 3, 4, and 5 and a three-set comeback on court 2.
 
Sasha Pasloski and Isabella Almeida (Pair 4) delivered the first point of the day with a dominant 21–11, 21–11 win. Abigail Lagemann and Tereza Lajkebová (Pair 3) followed by a 21–16, 21–15 victory, and Kate Stewart and Alyx Zapatka (Pair 5) clinched the dual 21–14, 21–16.
 
After the opening set, Cornelia Crudu and Julia Panko rallied on court 2 for a 19–21, 21–13, 16–14 comeback win to extend the Bulls' margin.
 
LSU 3, South Florida 2
 
South Florida battled nationally ranked No. 12 LSU  down to the final court, earning two wins in the loss.
Crudu and Panko (Pair 2) added a three-set win on court 2, 23–20, 14–21, 15–13. Zoey Mitchell and Josephine Sek (Pair 1) earned a straight-set victory 1, 21–19, 21–18, giving the Bulls an early point. LSU claimed courts the points against Pair 3, 4 and 5
 
Note-A-Bulls:

• First Win in Program History — South Florida earned the inaugural dual victory with a 4–1 win over New Orleans.
• Strong Debuts — Crudu/Panko went 2–0 on the day.
• Top Court Point — Mitchell/Sek secured a win over LSU pair 1

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About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is the newest program in the now 21-team USF Athletics program. South Florida Beach Volleyball joined Conference USA on July 1, 2025. Pri Piantadosi-Lima was named South Florida's first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. She also serves as the head coach of USAV Beach and the national team development program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining South Florida, Piantadosi-Lima helped launch the Eckerd College program in 2015 as an assistant coach and helped lead the program to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes.


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