Florida State University Athletics
Mindset Shift Sparks Sassack, FSU to Biggest Win of the Season
3/29/2025 2:37:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BATON ROUGE – Carra Sassack had an exasperated yet simple question to ask on Friday morning at LSU's Death Volley Invitational.
"Coach," she wondered, hands interlocked behind her head, eyes on the blue Baton Rouge sky above, as much a question to her coaching staff at Florida State as it was to the divine, "why can't I hit a ball in bounds?"
It drew a laugh, because of course it did. At the time of her existential pondering, Sassack was 12-7 on the year. The junior and her partner, Bailey Higgins, had hit enough balls in bounds to push UCLA's threes pair, Ensley Alden and Kenzie Brouwer, to three sets in the opening dual of the Invitational. Yet she felt she struggled down the stretch, evoking memories of a similar match against UCLA at East Meets West, when a 17-14 lead in the second set wasn't sustained.
There is, of course, no easy answer to that question, and no real time to "fix" whatever the issue may have been from a technical standpoint. Yet she found a clue in The Gap and the Gain, a book she's reading – Sassack has a ravenous literary appetite – in between matches. She re-read an anecdote on Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen's resolve, which details loss after heartbreaking loss – until he flips his mindset, playing with a sense of gratitude and joy, a nothing to lose attitude.
He would go on to win his elusive Olympic gold medal in the final race of his career.
Sassack figured if it could work at that level, it could work on the NCAA one. Oh, how did it.
Six hours later, it was Sassack and Higgins putting the clinching point on the board as No. 7 FSU upset No. 4 USC, 3-2, the highest-ranked win of the season for Florida State.
"She was the best player on the court," head coach Brooke Niles said of a court that included three other exceptional talents.
Sassack and Higgins were the brightest spot of another tremendous weekend for the 'Noles, which saw them finish 2-2, logging wins over USC and No. 9 Long Beach State. As a pair, they finished 3-1, which included another win in three over Stanford late Friday night, the most wins of any Florida State pair on the weekend.
Audrey Koenig and Alexis Durish finished 2-2 on court one, while Makenna Wolfe and Myriah Massey won two of their three; they were leading the fourth, against Long Beach State, but didn't finish as the dual was played to decision. Gella Andrew and Madison Trusty finished the weekend strong, with a convincing sweep over Long Beach State on court two, to notch their first win of the tournament. Freshmen Kenzie Hultquist and Jordan Boulware notched an impressive win against Stanford on court five, and were also leading against Long Beach State.
"Each week we face different challenges and we keep stepping up to them," Niles said. "Tough elements, tough schedule, and we're continuing to grow as a group. It's awesome to see."
Next weekend will be no different. Florida State will host No. 8 Texas, No. 11 LSU, South Florida, No. 15 Florida Atlantic, and South Carolina.
"Coach," she wondered, hands interlocked behind her head, eyes on the blue Baton Rouge sky above, as much a question to her coaching staff at Florida State as it was to the divine, "why can't I hit a ball in bounds?"
It drew a laugh, because of course it did. At the time of her existential pondering, Sassack was 12-7 on the year. The junior and her partner, Bailey Higgins, had hit enough balls in bounds to push UCLA's threes pair, Ensley Alden and Kenzie Brouwer, to three sets in the opening dual of the Invitational. Yet she felt she struggled down the stretch, evoking memories of a similar match against UCLA at East Meets West, when a 17-14 lead in the second set wasn't sustained.
There is, of course, no easy answer to that question, and no real time to "fix" whatever the issue may have been from a technical standpoint. Yet she found a clue in The Gap and the Gain, a book she's reading – Sassack has a ravenous literary appetite – in between matches. She re-read an anecdote on Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen's resolve, which details loss after heartbreaking loss – until he flips his mindset, playing with a sense of gratitude and joy, a nothing to lose attitude.
He would go on to win his elusive Olympic gold medal in the final race of his career.
Sassack figured if it could work at that level, it could work on the NCAA one. Oh, how did it.
Six hours later, it was Sassack and Higgins putting the clinching point on the board as No. 7 FSU upset No. 4 USC, 3-2, the highest-ranked win of the season for Florida State.
"She was the best player on the court," head coach Brooke Niles said of a court that included three other exceptional talents.
Sassack and Higgins were the brightest spot of another tremendous weekend for the 'Noles, which saw them finish 2-2, logging wins over USC and No. 9 Long Beach State. As a pair, they finished 3-1, which included another win in three over Stanford late Friday night, the most wins of any Florida State pair on the weekend.
Audrey Koenig and Alexis Durish finished 2-2 on court one, while Makenna Wolfe and Myriah Massey won two of their three; they were leading the fourth, against Long Beach State, but didn't finish as the dual was played to decision. Gella Andrew and Madison Trusty finished the weekend strong, with a convincing sweep over Long Beach State on court two, to notch their first win of the tournament. Freshmen Kenzie Hultquist and Jordan Boulware notched an impressive win against Stanford on court five, and were also leading against Long Beach State.
"Each week we face different challenges and we keep stepping up to them," Niles said. "Tough elements, tough schedule, and we're continuing to grow as a group. It's awesome to see."
Next weekend will be no different. Florida State will host No. 8 Texas, No. 11 LSU, South Florida, No. 15 Florida Atlantic, and South Carolina.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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