BOISE, Idaho., April 11, 2026 – The University of South Florida beach volleyball team (18-10) closed out play at the Boise State Beach Bash with a pair of duals against No. 11 Grand Canyon and FIU. The Bulls battled down to the wire but fell just short in a 3-2 decision against Grand Canyon, before falling to FIU. 
 
#11 Grand Canyon 3, South Florida 2
The Lopes opened the match with a win at pair two, defeating Zoey Mitchell and Isabella Almeida fell in straight sets. 
 
The Bulls responded with a gritty win from Sasha Pasloski and Ariana Medchill. Pasloski and Medchill rallied after dropping the first set to earn a thrilling 20-22,21-17, 18-16 victory. 
 
USF added another point when Kate Stewart and Terezá Lajkebová bounced back after falling in the opening set to win 17-21,21-16,15-10. 
 
Pair one, Julia Panko and Cornelia Crudu forced a third set, but ultimately fell 15-21,24-22,11-15 to tie the dual 2-2.  
 
The dual was deadlocked at 2-2, sending the outcome to the final court to decide the winner.  Morgan Anderson and Ryann Genest would fall to Rhea Kohl and Mae Manthe, giving GCU the dual win 3-2.
 
FIU 3, South Florida 2
The Panthers claimed the first point of the dual with a 19-21, 15-21 win on court four.  Morgan Anderson and Abigail Lagemann fought in a three-set battle, but FIU would go on to win the match 17-21, 21-14, 13-15. 
 
Stewart and Lajkebová earned the Bulls' first point of the day with a straight set win, 21-18, 21-16. FIU 's pair ones clinched the dual over Panko and Crudu in straight sets. 
 
Mitchell and Almeida wrapped up the dual defeating Isabella Pereira and Kendra Brown 21-13,18-21,15-11.
 
Note-A-Bulls:
• Bulls' Pairings Deliver Consistent Play— Stewart and Lajkebová earned wins over #11 Grand Canyon and FIU, improving to 14 wins on the season. 
• Bulls Show Fight Three of the five matches against No. 11 Grand Canyon were decided in a third set. 
 
UP NEXT
South Florida will host the Gulf Front Invitational in Clearwater, Florida next weekend April 17-18. The Bulls will host #5 FSU, #12 LSU, FGCU, and Mercer. 

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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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