GULF SHORES, Ala. – No. 8-seed Florida State (26-12) extended its season Friday with a 3-1 win over No. 9-seed Long Beach State (27-12) in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Seminoles will next play top-seeded UCLA in the first quarterfinal Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

The 47-minute match started with the Seminoles winning the opening set on three courts and taking a quick 1-0 lead when Makenna Wolfe and Myriah Massey beat Demi Wagdy and Megan Widener on Court 4, 21-14, 22-20. The Beach responded quickly with a 21-12, 21-15 win on Court 3 to even things up.

Gella Andrew and Maddie Trusty won in straight sets on Court 2, 21-18, 22-20, before FSU’s freshman pair of Kenzie Hultquist and Jordan Boulware clinched the match for the Noles, 23-21, 21-19 on Court 5. Hultquist and Boulware faced set point before rallying to win the opening set en route to the victory.

On Court 1, Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig split the first two sets with LBSU, 18-21, 21-19 and led 4-2 in the third before the match was called.

Florida State improved to 2-0 this season against Long Beach State, also beating the Beach 3-1 in late March at the LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Next up for Florida State is a match against No. 1 UCLA, 3-0 winners over 16-seed Chattanooga in the first round. The Bruins won both matches against the Seminoles in the regular season, 5-0 in Los Angeles and 4-1 in Baton Rouge. Due to weather, Saturday’s match will begin at 9:00 Eastern (8:00 Central) and can be seen on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

For more information on the Florida State beach volleyball program, check Seminoles.com and follow us on social media at fsubeachvolleyball (IG) and @FSU_BeachVB (X). 

#8 Florida State 3, #9 Long Beach State 1

1. Alexis Durish/Audrey Koenig (FSU) vs. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU), 18-21, 21-19, 4-2, unf.
2. Gella Andrew/Maddie Trusty (FSU) def. Julia Westby/Haley Carrington (LBSU), 21-18, 22-20
3. Skyler Germann/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) def. Bailey Higgins/Carra Sassack (FSU), 21-12, 21-15
4. Makenna Wolfe/Myriah Massey (FSU) def. Demi Wagdy/Megan Widener (LBSU), 21-14, 22-20
5. Kenzie Hultquist/Jordan Boulware (FSU) def. Tineke Hinton/Mahala Esser (LBSU), 23-21, 21-19

Order of Finish: 4,3,2,5