Tulane University
College of Charleston
Beach Volleyball Falls to College of Charleston Saturday, Closes 2019 Season
Apr 20, 2019 | Women's Beach Volleyball
EMERSON, Georgia – The Tulane beach volleyball team (16-18, 7-14 CCSA) closed its 2019 season on Saturday, falling on day two of the CCSA Conference Championship to College of Charleston, 4-1.
"It was a disappointing tournament for us, but not one without lessons learned for the next time the team competes," head coach Wayne Holly said. "With a core group of excellent players expected to return healthy next season, the future of the team is very bright."
The ninth-seeded Green Wave fought hard on all flights in their final match of the year, but were unable to pull off the win over eight-seed CofC.
Sophomores Gabriella Becerra and Rio Frohoff proved their success from the No. 3 position, notching a three-set victory over Cougars' Amani Dunston and Sky Benjamin. The pair took the first set, 21-19, before CofC came back to force a tiebreaker with a 21-18 win in the second. The two played tough all the way until the end, ultimately recording a 16-14 score to solidify the win.
Tulane also forced a three-set match from the No. 1 position, with juniors Kaylie McHugh and Eva Torruella defeating CofC's Kennedy Madison and Lauren Freed, 21-14, in set two after dropping set one, 16-21. The Green Wave's top duo was just short of notching the come-from-behind win, but Charleston was able to come out on top in the end, 15-12.
The team also showed its strength on courts two and four, with the Olive and Blue battling it out in two very close matches. Junior Tarin Mergener and sophomore Lauren Orlich battled back and forth against Devon Rachel and McKala Rhodes on flight two, but CofC was able to pull out two identical 21-19 set wins.
Freshmen Haley Gibson and Ellie Leitko battled through a tight 19-21, 18-21 decision from the No. 4 spot, suffering a loss to Allison Beckman and Logan Manusky.
College of Charleston 4, Tulane 1
No. 1 Kennedy Madison/Lauren Freed (CofC) def. Kaylie McHugh/Eva Torruella (TU) 21-16, 14-21, 15-12
No. 2 Devon Rachel/McKala Rhodes (CofC) def. Tarin Mergener/Lauren Orlich (TU) 21-19, 21-19
No. 3 Gabriella Becerra/Rio Frohoff (TU) def. Amani Dunston/Sky Benjamin (CofC) 21-19, 18-21, 16-14
No. 4 Allison Beckman/Logan Manusky (CofC) def. Ellie Leitko/Haley Gibson (TU) 21-19, 21-18
No. 5 Katja Ehlers/Taylor Foley (CofC) def. Morgan Esters/Kilani Daane (TU) 21-9, 21-11
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