In Panthers Play Nov. 4-8

The volleyball team continued to prove why they are the queens of the court, improving their SBC score to a record 16-0, while the football team fell at an away game and the women’s soccer team saw its SBC Tournament hopes dashed in overtime. Plus, the basketball teams came out hungry and ready to give their all in exhibition games and the men’s soccer team delivered a late-season surprise.

The boys of soccer

Sebastian Frings capped off his freshman season with a goal against SMU, his ninth of the year. Photo: FIUSports.com.

It looked like FIU’s final Conference USA match of the season would mirror the rest of the 2009-’10 season, but the Panthers were ready to surprise against the SMU Mustangs on Nov. 8 in Dallas – a game that saw the blue-and-gold team walk away from the field victorious with a 2-1 score.

The Panthers closed out the season with a 6-10-1 score, 1-6-1 in conference play.

The queens of the court

The unstoppable volleyball-playing Panthers clinched the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title on Nov. 7 with a 3-1 (26-24, 25-22, 22-25, 26-24) victory over Middle Tennessee.

FIU is now the winner of 19 straight matches. With its latest win, the Panthers improved to 26-2 on the season, 16-0 SBC. The 16 conference wins are also a new school record, breaking the previous record of 15 set in 2008.

The victory over Middle Tennessee followed a 3-1 win against WKU on Nov. 6.

FIU will return to the volleyball court on Wednesday, Nov. 11, as the Panthers host non-conference foe Florida Gulf Coast at 6:30 p.m. at the U.S. Century Bank Arena.

Football falls

The FIU football team (2-7 on the season, 2-4 SBC) could not rise above the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, losing 48-21 at an away game on Nov. 7.

Up next, the Panthers come back to Miami for their Homecoming Game against the North Texas Mean Green on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at FIU Stadium.

For tickets and more information, call 305-348-GAME or click here – and be sure to wear your FIU blue to the game.

A women’s soccer update

The Panthers saw their historic season end on Nov. 4, in the first round of the SBC Tournament, when Arkansas-Little Rock scored in the first minute-and-a-half of overtime for a 1-0 win.

FIU finished the year as the SBC regular-season champions at 11-6-3 – the most wins by the program since 2001.

Head coach Thomas Chestnutt was named the SBC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row and the Panthers earned four All-Conference first- and second-team selections.

FIU basketball teases the season

FIU senior Marquita Adley. Photo: FIUSports.com.

Senior Marquita Adley posted a double-double to lead the women’s team to a 67-50 exhibition win over Nova on Nov. 6.

The Panthers will start the 2009-’10 season at the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational against N.C. State on Nov. 13.

For their part, the men’s team went toe-to-toe against Norwood University on Nov. 4 and although the friendly practice game did not go the way of the Panthers who lost 71-61, head coach Isiah Thomas liked what he saw.

“I am pretty encouraged about some of the things I saw from us,” he said. “[But] we’ve got to get better doing the little things.”

FIU will start regular-season play on Nov. 9, with an away game against defending national champion and No. 6-ranked North Carolina in the nationally televised opener (ESPNU) of the 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.