Juric/Wegner Reach Fiesta on Siesta Key Championship Match
Apr 12, 2015 | Women's Beach Volleyball
SIESTA, Fla. -- Three Tulane sand volleyball pairs hit the dunes once more on Sunday for the bracket round of the Fiesta on Siesta Key Pairs Competition. The Green Wave's top pair of Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner strung together three victories today to reach the championship match, ultimately falling to Florida State, to complete a solid 6-1 weekend.
"The players' improvement over the course of this tournament was nothing short of excellent," Tulane head coach Wayne Holly said. "We scheduled this event because we know that the volume of play and the level of competitiveness will push us late in the season to reach a new plateau. Every one of our pairs improved their level of play over the last three days. Our team as a whole is now playing its best volleyball of the season heading into next weekend's final regular season competition."
Eighth-seeded Juric and Wegner started Gold Bracket play with a rematch from Friday's dual against North Florida's and ninth seeded Cari Whitmire and Cameron McGuire. Different day, same result, as the Wave duo began with a 23-21, 21-18 win.
In the quarterfinals, Juric/Wegner continued to roll when they knocked off the No. 1 seed Maryna Samoday and Alex Johnson of FIU, 21-19, 13-21, 15-11. Later in the day, Juric/Wegner recorded another three-set gutsy performance in the semifinals, this time besting the fourth-seeded Julie Bassett and Kaley Melville of Stetson, 16-21, 21-15, 15-10; therefore, avenging a loss they suffered from the Stetson pair back on March 28 in the College of Charleston Sand Classic.
However, Juric's and Wegner's run fell just short when they dropped a 21-19, 21-18, decision in the championship round to Florida State's and second-seeded Taylor Nyquist and Melanie Pavels. Thus, after six victories over the past two days, the pairing of Juric and Wegner improved to a team best, 23-7.
"For Tea and Jackie to come out this weekend and string together a 6-1 record against some of the best pairs out there, on many nationally ranked teams, was awesome," Holly added. "I am very proud of the level of play they have established for themselves. They have worked diligently this season to become the team they are now and are still looking to improve."
The Tulane pairs of Maddy Mertz/Lan Nguyen (No. 9 seed) and Hannah Holmes/Grace Weaver (No. 1 seed) each competed in the Silver Bracket on Sunday as both tandems couldn't solve the problem that was FIU's Anna Budinska and Martyna Gluchowicz (No. 8 seed). The FIU pairing first defeated Mertz/Nguyen 21-16, 15-21, 15-10, before getting the best of Holmes/Weaver, 21-19, 21-11.
Up next, the Green Wave will return to team dual action in the Battle on the Bayou Tournament, taking place in Baton Rouge, April 18-19. The final regular season tournament for the Wave will see the squad clash with Louisiana-Monroe, Spring Hill, UNO, South Carolina and LSU.
Green Wave Results
Fiesta Pairs Competition
Gold Bracket:
No. 8 Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU) def. No. 9 Cari Whitmire / Cameron McGuire (UNF), 23-21, 21-18
Quarterfinals: No. 8 Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU) def. No. 1 Maryna Samoday / Alex Johnson (FIU), 21-19, 13-21, 15-11
Semifinals: No. 8 Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU) def. No. 4 Julie Bassett / Kaley Melville (Stetson), 16-21, 21-15, 15-10
Championship: No. 2 Taylor Nyquist / Melanie Pavels (FSU) def. No. 8 Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU), 21-19, 21-18
Silver Bracket:
No. 8 Anna Budinska / Martyna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. No. 9 Maddy Mertz / Lan Nguyen (TU), 21-16, 15-21, 15-10
No. 8 Anna Budinska / Martyna Gluchowicz (FIU) def. No. 1 Hannah Holmes / Grace Weaver (TU), 21-19, 21-11
