Seminole Saturday Summary: Season Ends for Three FSU Programs

The first weekend in May proved to be the end of the season for three Florida State programs. The good news is that six teams will remain in action for FSU.

FSU beach volleyball’s national championship aspirations ended early on Saturday as the Seminoles dropped an elimination match to USC in the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama. FSU was national runner-up a season ago and had reached the national championship dual in two of the previous three years.

Hours later, the FSU men’s tennis team was defeated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by getting blanked by Florida, 4-0. It was the third straight season that the Seminoles fell in the second round.

After its first Elite Eight appearance in program history last season, the women’s team met similar fate on Saturday evening as the Seminoles were upset by UCF in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 4-1. It was the first time in eight years that FSU had hosted a regional.

Here’s an overview at each of the programs still in action for FSU:

Football

Weekly Commitments: Jayion McCluster, 4-star LB (No. 317 overall prospect)*
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 6 nationally, third in ACC* (11 total commitments)

Men’s Basketball

Weekly Commitments: None
2020 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 15 nationally, fourth in ACC* (6 total commitments)

Baseball

Record: 28-16, 14-11 ACC
Ranking: No. 23 D1Baseball.com; No. 25 Collegiate Baseball; No. 27 NCBWA
Past Week: (0-2), lost to Wake Forest, 16-12; lost to Pittsburgh, 10-0.
Upcoming: vs. Pittsburgh (DH Sunday), vs. Jacksonville (DH Tuesday), at Stetson (Wednesday), vs. Richmond (Friday and Saturday)
Recognitions: Drew Parrish, P (ACC Pitcher of the Week)
Big Picture: A doubleheader was planned for Saturday between FSU and Pittsburgh, but weather saw to it that would not happen. The good news for the Seminoles is that they will begin Sunday with a 4-2 lead after play was suspended on Saturday. FSU was unable to complete the sweep last weekend against Wake Forest and thus far, has missed an opportunity against a Pittsburgh team at the bottom of the ACC standings. FSU still looks like an NCAA Tournament team, but a strong week is desperately needed.

Weekly Review

Wake Forest 16, FSU 12
Sunday, April 29
Reese Albert and Robby Martin each homered for Florida State on Sunday as the Seminoles were unable to complete the sweep against Wake Forest. Martin finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored. FSU cut what was once a 5-run deficit down to one late, but could not overcome the deficit. Shane Muntz hit a grand slam for Wake Forest that ultimately put the Demon Deacons ahead for good.

Pittsburgh 10, FSU 0
Friday, May 3
All six FSU hits came from the first three hitters in the lineup as the Seminoles were blanked by Pittsburgh in the series opener, 10-0. Nico Popa had three hits, one home run, three runs scored and four runs scored for the Panthers. Bryce O’Farrell went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI in the victory.

Softball

Record: 47-8, 18-5 ACC
Ranking: No. 5 NFCA; No. 6 USA Softball
Past Week: (3-0), defeated Duke, 8-1; defeated Syracuse, 8-0 and 9-1.
Upcoming: at Syracuse (Sunday), ACC Tournament (Thursday through Saturday)
Recognitions: Meghan King, P (ACC Pitcher of the Week)
Big Picture: Although FSU won’t be the No. 1 seed in this season’s ACC Tournament, the Seminoles will still probably come in as the favorites as they aim for a sixth straight ACC title. Despite a somewhat down year in ACC play, the Seminoles still have a top-5 RPI nationally and will likely garner a top-8 seed by winning the ACC Tournament in their home park.

Weekly Review

Duke 1, (6) FSU 8
Sunday, April 29
In her final regular season home game, Florida State redshirt senior pitcher Meghan King allowed just an unearned run on six hits before all FSU seniors were taken out of the contest with one out to play. Cali Harrod, Elizabeth Mason, Dani Morgan and Cassidy Davis all homered for the Seminoles in the victory.

(5) FSU 8, Syracuse 0
Friday, May 3 (6 innings)
Dani Morgan homered and plated a pair of runs for Florida State in the series opener against Syracuse. Cassidy Davis led four Seminoles who had multiple hits with a 3-for-4 day with a run scored and an RBI.

(5) FSU 9, Syracuse 1
Saturday, May 4 (5 innings)
FSU turned a tight contest into a run rule with a 7-run fifth inning to clinch the series against Syracuse. Carsyn Gordon, Cassidy Davis and Anna Shelnutt all homered for the Seminoles in the fifth. Makinzy Herzog allowed just an unearned run on two hits in four innings to pick up the win for FSU.

Beach Volleyball

Record: 29-7
Ranking: No. 3 national seed NCAA Championships, No. 3 AVCA
Past Week: (1-2), defeated Cal Poly, 3-0; lost to UCLA, 3-0; lost to USC, 3-1.
Recognitions: Sara Putt and Payton Rund (AVCA Top Flight); Macy Jerger and Katie Privett (AVCA Top Flight)
Big Picture: Florida State reached the NCAA Championships for the fourth straight season, but the campaign came to an end with back-to-back losses against the top two seeds. Six of Florida State’s seven losses in 2019 came to USC and UCLA.

Weekly Review

(3) FSU 3, (6) Cal Poly 0
Friday, May 3 (NCAA Championships)
FSU beach volleyball opened the NCAA Championships on the right foot with three straight-set wins over Cal Poly. Senior Macy Jerger and freshman Kate Privett sealed the victory for the Seminoles with a 21-17, 21-14 win over Cal Poly’s duo of Brayden Gruenewald and Vanessa Roscoe.

(3) FSU 0, (2) UCLA 3
Friday, May 3 (NCAA Championships)
All five matches went three sets, but UCLA prevailed with a 3-0 win in a rematch of last season’s national championship dual. Izzy Carey and Linsey Sparks clinched the dual for the Bruins with a 21-13, 18-21, 15-13 victory over FSU’s Macy Jerger and Kate Privett.

(3) FSU 1, (1) USC 3
Saturday, May 4 (NCAA Championships — Elimination Game)
Florida State fell to USC in straight sets on three of the five courts in the first elimination dual on Saturday and that’s ultimately what brought the season to an end. The lone FSU duo to pick up a win was Macy Jerger and Kate Privett. Those two took down USC’s Mollie Ebertin and Cammie Dorn, 21-16, 21-12.

Men’s Tennis

Record: 19-11
Ranking: No. 2 seed Gainesville Regional; unranked ITA
Past Week: (1-1), defeated UCF, 4-3; lost to Florida, 4-0.
Recognitions: Lucas Poullain (All-ACC first team); Alex Knaff (All-ACC second team)
Big Picture: FSU men’s tennis reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament for a third season in a row, but that’s as far as the Seminoles would get.

Weekly Review

UCF 3, FSU 4
Friday, May 3 (NCAA Tournament)
Florida State men’s tennis had to sweat through their first match at the Gainesville Regional, but came through in a thriller by winning four of the six singles matches. After a 2-hour rain delay, Juan Martin Jalif was able to clinch the match for the Seminoles with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over UCF’s Bogdan Pavel.

FSU 0, (3) Florida 4
Saturday, May 4 (NCAA Tournament)
Host and rival Florida proved to be too much for Florida State as the Gators easily disposed of the Seminoles for the second time this season. Juan Martin Jalif and Alex Knaff were able to win sets for the Seminoles, but both matches went unfinished. Florida clinched the victory when Alfredo Perez defeated FSU’s Richard Thongoana, 7-6, 6-2.

Women’s Tennis

Record: 21-7
Ranking: No. 11 national seed NCAA Tournament; No. 11 ITA
Past Week: (1-1), defeated South Alabama, 4-1; lost to UCF, 4-1.
Recognitions: Carla Touly (All-ACC second team); Emmanuelle Salas (All-ACC second team); Ana Oparenovic (All-ACC third team)
Big Picture: One year after reaching the Elite Eight for the first time, FSU women’s tennis was upset on its home court against UCF in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the first time in eight years that the Seminoles had hosted a regional. FSU has made significant strides as a program under head coach Jennifer Hyde, but will have to replace two very notable seniors in Ana Oparenovic and Ariana Rahmanparast.

Weekly Review

South Alabama 0, (11) FSU 4
Friday, May 3 (NCAA Tournament)
The Florida State women didn’t lose a single set on their home court to open the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 victory over South Alabama. Andrea Garcia sealed the shutout with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over South Alabama’s Diana Monsalve.

UCF 4, (11) FSU 1
Saturday, May 4 (NCAA Tournament)
Blowing a 5-1 lead to lose the doubles point proved to be a sign of things to come for Florida State as the Seminoles were upset by UCF in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Tallahassee. Valeryia Zeleva clinched the dual for the Knights by beating FSU’s Carla Touly, 6-3, 6-4. The dual was delayed several hours by rain. Emmanuelle Salas earned FSU its only point by defeating UCF’s Ksenia Kuznetsova, 6-1, 6-1.

Women’s Golf

Ranking: No. 3 seed Auburn Regional; No. 9 WGCA
Past Week: N/A
Upcoming: NCAA Regional (Monday through Wednesday)
Recognitions: Frida Kinhult (ACC Co-Player of the Year, ACC Freshman of the Year, All-ACC); Beatrice Wallin (All-ACC)
Big Picture: FSU women’s golf will be the No. 3 seed at the Auburn Regional this coming week and will need to finish in the top six to advance to the NCAA Championships. The Seminoles have reached the NCAA Championships in each of the last four seasons. They finished 12th last year.

Men’s Golf

Ranking: No. 5 seed Myrtle Beach Regional; unranked GCAA
Past Week: N/A
Upcoming: NCAA Regional (May 13-15)
Recognitions: John Pak (Haskins Top 15, ACC Golfer of the Month)
Big Picture: Florida State’s men’s golf will begin regional play on May 13 at Myrtle Beach. The Seminoles will look to return to the NCAA Championships after missing an appearance last season for the first time since 2011. The top five teams in Myrtle Beach will advance.

Track and Field

Ranking: Men unranked USTFCCCA; Women No. 10 USTFCCCA
Past Week: N/A
Upcoming: ACC Championships (Thursday through Saturday)
Recognitions: Andre Ewers, sprinter (ACC Men’s Track Co-Performer of the Week); Shanice Love, discus (ACC Women’s Co-Field Performer of the Week); Kasaun James, David Lott, Bryand Rincher, Brandon Tirado, Madison Harris, Jodie Judd, Jayla Kirkland, Nadia Maffo, Militsa Mircheva, Jogaile Petrokaite, Ka’Tia Seymour, Maudie Skyring (All-ACC Academic)
Big Picture: Florida State’s men’s and women’s teams will look to win team titles at the ACC Outdoor Championships. The men claimed a share of the indoor title while the women narrowly missed doing likewise, thanks to a disqualification. The men won the outdoor title last season while the women finished third.

Other News

Eight FSU swimmers and divers were named to the All-ACC Academic team on Wednesday.

FSU women’s hoops’ Kiah Gillespie was invited to team trials for the Pan-American Games.

With 13 selections, Florida State track and field had more athletes made the All-ACC Academic team than any other school. The nine women selected was also a conference-high.

FSU softball head coach Lonni Alameda earned her 200th career ACC win during the weekend’s trip to Syracuse.

In celebration of 50 years of women’s athletics, FSU exceeded its pledge goal of $5 million by raising more than $7 million.

*247Sports Composite rankings

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.