TAVARES, Fla. — The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team captured a pair of wins against Jacksonville State and Lincoln Memorial on Saturday at the Stetson Beach Invitational as it capped its first-ever East Coast trip.
The Lobos (6-8) sandwiched 5-0 victories over the Gamecocks (2-14) and the Railsplitters (0-3) around a tough 4-1 setback to tournament host and 14th-ranked Stetson (5-8) on Saturday at Hickory Point Beach in Tavares.
“The event here in Florida was a great event,” New Mexico head coach Jeff Nelson said. “It was well-run and it’s a great facility. We were very lucky to play in such a nice tournament.”
In the team’s first venture to the Eastern time zone, the Lobos posted solid results in their first meetings with all their opponents, splitting their weekend 3-3. UNM also won over Morehead State on Friday.
This trip also served as another test for New Mexico in its tour of the nation’s top teams.
Along with its showdown with Stetson, UNM also took on No. 12/8 Georgia State and No. 17/RV Florida Atlantic, falling to both 3-2. And while the Lobos were unable to convert late for wins, they challenged some of the best teams in the NCAA.
So far through three weeks of the season, eight of New Mexico’s 14 matches have been against ranked teams.
And, like they’ve done all season, the Lobos gave their ranked opponents strong fights, falling just a few points short in some instances this weekend.
“Overall we have some work to do,” Nelson said. “We played well in different positions but not across the board. We need to be more consistent throughout the lineup. We played a ton of tough matches and continue to push for stronger play as we grow.”
New Mexico also claimed some dominant wins during its eventful two days of competition in Tavares, including sweeps of Jacksonville State and Lincoln Memorial on Saturday as it passed the halfway point of its schedule.
The Lobos are off next week and will return to action as they head to Tucson, Arizona, to compete in the Wildcat Spring Challenge on March 31 and April 1.
New Mexico 5, Jacksonville State 0
Like Friday, New Mexico had an early morning on Saturday, facing off against the second-year Gamecocks from Jacksonville (Ala.) State at 9 a.m. MT & 11 a.m. ET.
And it look the Lobos almost no time to seize the day, as they jumped all over Jacksonville State, winning every court in two sets.
UNM struck quickly in the first flight of courts, picking up points on the 4’s and 5’s courts.
At the No. 4 position, Jackie Baro & Victoria Spragg combined for a 21-7, 21-13 win over JSU’s Hailey Hughes & Shayla Schmidt, while Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty teamed up to win the No. 5 court 21-15, 21-6 over Mackenzie Rombach & Rachel Perucki.
New Mexico continued to roll after the switch to the top flight of courts.
Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto tallied a dominant 21-3, 21-14 win against Maddie Cloutier & Sadie Anderson on the No. 3 court. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey delivered a 21-13, 21-18 win over Katie Will & Jae-Lyn Visscher on the No. 1 court.
On the No. 2 court, Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland ran their winning streak to four matches with a 21-10, 21-9 victory over Charis Ludtke & Hannah Kirk.
UNM even added a win on the exhibition court, where Carly Beddingfield & Chloe Crappell won 21-8, 21-11.
Stetson 4, New Mexico 1
A couple of hours later, the Lobos returned to the sand to take on tournament hosts and 2016 NCAA Championship qualifier Stetson.
This match was New Mexico’s third of the weekend against a ranked team, with Stetson ranked 14th in the DiG Magazine Poll and 12th in the AVCA Poll. Stetson, which had swept its slate on Friday, was barely edged by fellow 2016 NCAA Championship team Georgia State earlier Saturday.
But, the Lobos put forth a strong fight during their midday tilt, falling 4-1 to the Hatters.
Stetson struck first in the dual, as UNM’s Warren & Twitty fell 21-9, 21-17 to Stetson’s Tiffany Creamer & Rachel Noble on the No. 5 court.
However, the Lobos would tie things up at 1-1 moments later, as Doran & Baleto notched a 21-16, 21-17 win over Lauren Durham & Julie Varga on the No. 4 court.
Stetson would reclaim the advantage on the 2’s court, where Sours & Rugland saw their winning streak snapped in a 21-13, 25-23 loss to Kristin Lind & Darby Dunn. The Hatters clinched the match on the 3’s court as Baro & Spragg fell 21-18, 21-11 to Emily Carroll & Kaylee Anderson.
New Mexico had a chance to score a final point on the top court, but House & Kelsey were nipped by Stetson’s Samantha Harris & Maggie Skjelbred in a three-set match, 10-21, 21-19, 15-8.
On the exhibition court, Beddingfield & Crappell fell 20-22, 21-19, 15-8 to Jamie Walsh & Alexa Richardson.
New Mexico 5, Lincoln Memorial 0
Coming right off their match vs. Stetson, the Lobos went right to business against Lincoln Memorial in their final match of the weekend.
At the No. 4 spot, Warren & Spragg notched a 21-7, 21-18 win, putting New Mexico up 1-0. Beddingfield & Crappell tacked on another match point with a 21-15, 21-19 win on the No. 5 court.
New Mexico added on during the second flight of courts, running their way to a 5-0 sweep.
On the No. 1 court, Sours & Rugland won 21-11, 21-15, followed by House & Kelsey winning 21-9, 21-8 on the No. 2 court and Doran & Baleto winning 21-7, 21-16 on the No. 3 court.
Twitty & Baro capped the action with a 21-6, 21-3 blitzing on the exhibition court.
New Mexico 5, Jacksonville State 0
1. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) def. Katie Will & Jae-Lyn Visscher (JSU) 21-13, 21-18
2. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. (JSU) Charis Ludtke & Hannah Kirk 21-10, 21-9
3. Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. (JSU) Maddie Cloutier & Sadie Anderson 21-3, 21-14
4. Jackie Baro & Victoria Spragg (UNM) def. (JSU) Hailey Hughes & Shayla Schmidt 21-7, 21-13
5. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. (JSU) Mackenzie Rombach & Rachel Perucki 21-15, 21-6
Ex. Carly Beddingfield & Chloe Crappell (UNM) def. (JSU) 21-8, 21-11
Stetson 4, New Mexico 1
1. Samantha Harris & Maggie Skjelbred (STET) def. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) 10-21, 21-19, 15-8
2. Kristin Lind & Darby Dunn (STET) def. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) 21-13, 25-23
3. Emily Carroll & Kaylee Anderson (STET) def. Jackie Baro & Victoria Spragg (UNM) 21-18, 21-11
4. Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. Lauren Durham & Julie Varga (STET) 21-16, 21-17
5. Tiffany Creamer & Rachel Noble (STET) def. Julia Warren & Lauren Twitty (UNM) 21-9, 21-17
Ex. Jamie Walsh & Alexa Richardson (STET) def. Carly Beddingfield & Chloe Crappell (UNM) 20-22, 21-19, 15-8
New Mexico 5, Lincoln Memorial 0
1. Devanne Sours & Lise Rugland (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-11, 21-15
2. Cassie House & Ashley Kelsey (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-9, 21-8
3. Marisa Doran & Eastyn Baleto (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-7, 21-16
4. Julia Warren & Victoria Spragg (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-7, 21-18
5. Chloe Crappell & Carly Beddingfield (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-15, 21-19
Ex. Jackie Baro & Lauren Twitty (UNM) def. (LMU) 21-6, 21-3
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