winner of semifinal between Merritt Island and Charlotte will advance to the Class 2A state championship match Saturdayy
The 17-3 Mustangs beach volleyball team is headed to the state semifinals for the second time in three years. Merritt Island will take on Charlotte on May 8 at 10 a.m. for a chance at the state championship. (Merritt Island High School [image)
The FHSAA state championships are being held May 8-9 at Florida State University, with semifinal matches scheduled for Friday and championship matches set for Saturday.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — After a rocky start to the season, the Merritt Island Mustangs beach volleyball team has surged into the final four of the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A state tournament and now sits one win away from competing for a state championship.
The Mustangs, now 17-3 overall, will face Charlotte High School of Punta Gorda in the Class 2A state semifinal Friday at 10 a.m. at the Florida State University Beach Volleyball Courts in Tallahassee.
Merritt Island’s path to the state semifinals has been fueled by a remarkable turnaround after the team opened the season 4-3.
Since March 11, the Mustangs have not lost a match, rattling off 13 consecutive victories to earn their second state semifinal appearance in the last three seasons.
The team’s last defeat came against New Smyrna Beach on March 11, when the Mustangs fell 4-1 in a regular-season matchup.
That loss ultimately became motivation for a postseason redemption story.
In the regional final on May 5, Merritt Island got another shot at New Smyrna Beach in a high-stakes “win-or-go-home” matchup.
This time, the Mustangs delivered, edging New Smyrna Beach 3-2 to punch their ticket to the state semifinals.
The victory continued a dominant late-season run for a program that has become one of Florida’s most consistent volleyball powers, both indoors and on the sand.
Charlotte enters the semifinal after winning the Region 3 championship and defeating Port Charlotte in the regional finals.
The winner of Friday’s semifinal between Merritt Island and Charlotte will advance to the Class 2A state championship match Saturday at 9 a.m. in Tallahassee.
For Merritt Island, the semifinal appearance marks another milestone in a season defined by resilience and momentum.
What began as an inconsistent start has turned into one of the hottest streaks in Florida high school beach volleyball.
Now, the Mustangs will try to finish the job and bring a state title back to Brevard County.
