Tulane University
LSU
Tulane Ends Regular Season with 1-1 Split on Sunday
Apr 19, 2015 | Women's Beach Volleyball
BATON ROUGE -- History repeated itself on Sunday for the Tulane sand volleyball team who earned a split on the final day of the regular season. The Green Wave fell 3-2 to South Carolina but defeated host LSU 3-2, earning identical decisions against its opponents from earlier this season.
"The split today was good although we set out to accomplish more today," Tulane head coach Wayne Holly said. "We aspire to greatness and with those high expectations always comes a little hunger for accomplishing something more. At the same time, the players did a wonderful job of letting go of the morning loss to South Carolina and competing hard in a tough match against LSU. All of the flights are critically important, but I thought Sarah and Miah's win on court No. 5 was particularly great because that flight has struggled for us lately and yet was critical to our team's success today."
Tulane and South Carolina previously met on March 21, where the Wave claimed two points via victories on courts one and three. Today was no different, as the No. 1 flight of Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner defeated Megan Kent and Paige Wheeler, 21-19, 21-19. In addition, freshmen Madeline Mertz and Lan Nguyen gutted out a 21-17, 17-21, 15-5, victory vs. Sarah Blomgren and Jade Vitt in flight No. 3.
The Green Wave came close to claiming that third and decisive team point on both courts two and five, with both flights going into a third set. Unfortunately both pairings came up just short as Grace Weaver and Miah Diirell fell 15-21, 21-12, 15-10 to Julie Mannisto and Maddie Frome and Courtney Liddle and Annie Shurtz dropped a 21-8, 16-21, 15-9 decision to Koko Williams and Allie Monserez.
The Olive and Blue did bounce back this afternoon by remaining perfect in the program's young history against LSU, now 4-0 lifetime against its in-state rival. Tulane got off to a 2-0 start thanks to victories on courts four and five. Liddle and Shurtz improved to 17-5 with a 21-19, 21-13 win vs. Katarina Raicevic and Carly Morris. Next, Sarah Strasner and Miah Diirell knocked off Emma Hiller and Riley Young, 21-14, 21-15.
The Tigers applied some pressure back on the Green Wave when they secured victories on the top two flights to tie the match at two, as Juric and Wegner suffered just their eighth loss of the season (27-8) when they fell 21-19, 15-21, 15-11 to Katie Lindelow and Mandi Orellana.
Yet, it was Tulane's youngest pair in Mertz and Nguyen who played the role of clincher, earning their second three-set victory of the day with a 21-18, 11-21, 18-16 win over Helen Boyle and Cheyenne Wood.
Up next, the American Volleyball Coaches Association is expected to announce on Monday the field for the National Championships. Last season, the pair of Juric and Wegner became the first duo to qualify in school history.
"Grace made history for Tulane volleyball today as she became the first four year sand volleyball and indoor volleyball dual sport athlete in our programs' histories," Holly explained. "That is an extraordinary accomplishment for a Division I student-athlete. I am not just thankful for Grace's commitment to Tulane Volleyball but appreciative of how challenging it must be to earn a degree and nearly always be in-season playing two sports at this level."
Green Wave Results
South Carolina 3 -- Tulane 2
No. 1: Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU) def. Megan Kent / Paige Wheeler (SC), 21-19, 21-19
No. 2: Julie Mannisto / Maddie Frome (SC) def. Grace Weaver / Miah Direll (TU), 15-21, 21-12, 15-10
No. 3: Madeline Mertz / Lan Nguyen (TU) def. Sarah Blomgren / Jade Vitt (SC), 21-17, 17-21, 15-5
No. 4: Jade Hayes / Macie Tendrich (SC) def. Hannah Holmes / Christina McAfee (TU), 21-12, 21-14
No. 5: Koko Williams / Allie Monserez (SC) def. Courtney Liddle / Annie Shurtz (TU), 21-8, 16-21, 15-9
Tulane 3 -- LSU 2
No. 1: Katie Lindelow / Mandi Orellana (LSU) def. Tea Juric / Jackie Wegner (TU), 21-19, 15-21, 15-11
No. 2: Cati Leak / Callan Molle (LSU) def. Grace Weaver / Hannah Holmes (TU), 21-13, 21-14
No. 3: Lan Nguyen / Madeline Mertz (TU) def. Helen Boyle / Cheyenne Wood (LSU), 21-18, 11-21, 18-16
No. 4: Courtney Liddle / Annie Shurtz (TU) def. Katarina Raicevic / Carly Morris (LSU), 21-19, 21-13
No. 5: Sarah Strasner / Miah Direll (TU) def. Emma Hiller / Riley Young (LSU), 21-14, 21-15
