TAVARES, Fla. — In the team’s first East Coast action in program history, the University of New Mexico beach volleyball team won one of three matches on Friday as it opened the Stetson Beach Invitational.
The Lobos (4-7) capped a long day at Hickory Point Beach with a win over Morehead State (0-3), but came up just short against No. 17/RV Florida Atlantic (10-2) and No. 12/8 Georgia State (9-4), falling 3-2 to both squads.
“It was good to get a solid win against Morehead State,” New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said. “However we lost two heartbreakers today. They were both matches we could have won, but we just didn’t stay in the moment. Both were very good teams and experienced in big matches.”
New Mexico showed well in its first-ever day of competition in the Eastern time zone, giving a pair of nationally ranked squads a run for their money.
It was another step in the development of UNM’s three-year-old program, which gone from an upstart team in 2016 to a team that garners its opponents’ attention in 2017.
But, in a recurring trend for a team learning to live with a target on its back, the Lobos struggled to capitalize in close matches, dropping both its matches to the Owls and Panthers by just a point.
It’s the fourth time this season New Mexico has taken a ranked team to the brink in a 3-2 loss. In all four matches, UNM lost at least one court in three sets.
Still, the Lobos rebounded with a strong win over Morehead State, relying on a new-look lineup for improved results.
“It was a disappointing day overall,” Nelson said. “But we have more big matches tomorrow so we have to refocus and play hard again.”
The Lobos return to action on Saturday, playing three matches to close out the Stetson Beach Invitational. UNM faces Jacksonville State at 9 a.m. MT, followed by No. 14 Stetson at noon MT and Lincoln Memorial at 2 p.m. MT.
Florida Atlantic 3, New Mexico 2
New Mexico opened Friday’s docket with an early matchup with Florida Atlantic, taking the sand at 8 a.m. MT/10 a.m. ET.
The Owls, winners of eight straight coming into Friday, only had to travel 200 miles from their hometown of Boca Raton, Florida. The Lobos, on the other hand, ventured over 1500 miles to get to Tavares.
FAU struck first in the dual, capturing a point on the No. 4 court as Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto fell 21-16, 21-18 to Nicole Navarro & Nicole Grant.
The Lobos would even the match up at 1-1 after Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty rallied for a 16-21, 21-17, 16-14 win over Julia Lewkowicz & Ashlan Cunningham on court five.
After the switch to the second flight, UNM added a point on the No. 2 court, where Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland notched a 21-13, 21-14 win over FAU’s Jazmine Barker & Brittany Pellitteri.
However, the Owls added three-sets wins on the 1’s and 3’s courts to claim the match.
On the No. 1 court, the Lobos’ top pairing of Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey fell 21-10, 16-21, 14-16 against Jessalyn Kinlaw & Megan Rice, while UNM’s Jackie Baro & Carly Beddingfield lost 14-21, 22-20, 11-15 to Gabrielle Dischler & Candace Lacour.
Georgia State 3, New Mexico 2
The Lobos didn’t have much time to dwell on their setback to FAU, turning around to play Georgia State right after finishing vs. the Owls.
The Panthers, who qualified to the inaugural NCAA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championships last season, opened their morning with a straight-sets win over Jacksonville State.
Georgia State followed that up with a quick score on the No. 5 court, where Twitty & Warren lost 15-21, 21-18, 15-11 to Georgia Johnson & Allie Elson
However, New Mexico managed to score a point at the 4’s to even the dual, as Doran & Baleto knocked off Georgia State’s Brooke Weiner & Jessica Fourspring 20-22, 21-15, 15-10.
But the Lobos were unable to gain an advantage after the flip to the second flight of courts, where the Panthers won two of three.
House & Kelsey dropped a 21-13, 21-14 decision on the No. 1 court to Delaney Rohan & Chelsea Ross, and Baro & Beddingfield fell 21-15, 21-10 to Natalie Wilson & Amie Held on the No. 3 court.
Sours & Rugland continued their strong play, scoring the Lobos’ second point with a 21-18, 21-19 victory over LeeAnn Starr & Haley Pa’akaula on the No. 2 court. It was the tandem’s third straight win over a pair from a ranked team, going back to last Sunday’s win over then-No. 13/8 Arizona’s second-seeded duo.
New Mexico 5, Morehead State 0
After a short break, the Lobos returned to action to take on Morehead State, a team playing just its third-ever match in the sand. The fledgling Eagles fell 5-0 to both Stetson and Georgia State earlier in the day.
And New Mexico, sporting some new pairings in a retooled lineup, took advantage as it notched a sweep to close out Friday’s action.
On the No. 5 court, Warren teamed up with Victoria Spragg to deliver a quick 21-10, 21-8 victory over Maddie Fella & Danielle McCarson that gave UNM an early 1-0 lead. The Lobos would extend that lead as Twitty & Baro combined for a 21-14, 21-19 win over Jordan Jones & Morgan Walters on the 4’s court.
Doran & Baleto, moved up to the No. 3 court, added a 21-9, 21-12 win over Chandler Clark & Liz Allen to make the score 3-0 in favor of New Mexico.
The Lobos also flipped their top two partnerships to good results. House & Kelsey dispatched Alli Evans & Hope Rillema 21-7, 21-8 on the No. 2 court, while Sours & Rugland defeated Bailey Nichol & Sydney Schuler 21-10, 21-12 on the No. 1 court.
Sours & Rugland are now 8-3, the best pairs record for the Lobos.
Florida Atlantic 3, New Mexico 2
1: Jessalyn Kinlaw & Megan Rice (FAU) def. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) 10-21, 21-16, 16-14
2: Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. Jazmine Barker & Brittany Pellitteri (FAU) 21-13, 21-14
3: Gabrielle Dischler & Candace Lacour (FAU) def. Jackie Baro & Carly Beddingfield (UNM) 21-14, 20-22, 15-11
4: Nicole Navarro & Nicole Grant (FAU) def. Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) 21-16, 21-18
5: Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Julia Lewkowicz & Ashlan Cunningham (FAU) 16-21, 21-17, 16-14
Georgia State 3, New Mexico 2
1: Delaney Rohan & Chelsea Ross (GSU) def. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) 21-13, 21-14
2: Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. LeeAnn Starr & Haley Pa’akaula (GSU) 21-18, 21-19
3: Natalie Wilson & Amie Held (GSU) def. Jackie Baro & Carly Beddingfield (UNM) 21-15, 21-10
4: Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. Brooke Weiner & Jessica Fourspring (GSU) 20-22, 21-15, 15-10
5: Georgia Johnson & Allie Elson (GSU) def. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) 15-21, 21-18, 15-11
New Mexico 5, Morehead State 0
1: Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. Bailey Nichol & Sydney Schuler (MORE) 21-10, 21-12
2: Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) def. Alli Evans & Hope Rillema (MORE) 21-7, 21-8
3: Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. Chandler Clark & Liz Allen (MORE) 21-9, 21-12
4: Jackie Baro & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. Jordan Jones & Morgan Walters (MORE) 21-14, 21-19
5: Julia Warren & Victoria Spragg (UNM) def. Maddie Fella & Danielle McCarson (MORE) 21-10, 21-8
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