Tulane University
#4 South Carolina
Beach Volleyball Goes 1-1 Friday to Open CCSA Championship
Apr 23, 2021 | Women's Beach Volleyball
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The RV Tulane beach volleyball team (22-14, 8-11 CCSA) went 1-1 to open action in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Championship, defeating eight-seed UNCW (5-0) while falling in a close match to four-seed/No. 17 South Carolina (1-4) on Friday at the John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex.
Following their win over the Seahawks, the Green Wave are now set to compete again on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Tulane will face the loser of tonight's 7 p.m. match between two-seed LSU and three-seed TCU.
In the first match of the day against No. 17 South Carolina, freshman Lara Torruella and sophomore Ashton Mares earned a straight-set win on court four over Hannah Mackenhausen and Alyssa Keller (21-11, 23-21). The pair kept it rolling against UNCW in the second match of the day, defeating Brooke Hanshumaker and Elena Turnbull, 21-18, 21-18.
Senior Addison Hermstad and sophomore Samantha Mehlman forced Gamecocks' Avery Davis and Madison Brabham to a third set on court two, falling 14-21 in the first before coming back to win the second 21-19 and falling 15-17 in the third. Against the Seahawks, the duo earned a two-set win over Casey Goodwin and Sadie Sharkey (21-14, 21-14).
Also falling just short of a three-set win was graduate students Tarin Mergener and Avery Arellano from the No. 3 spot against South Carolina's Jess Vastine and Jordan Smith, winning 21-18 in the first before dropping set two, 17-21, and set three, 14-16. Mergener and Arellano defeated UNC Wilmington's Katie Lanz and Rachel Schaffer (21-15, 21-15) in the second match of the day.
On court five, graduate student Allie Olsonoski and freshman Maddie Speicher teamed up against USC's Carly Schneider and Morgan Greer, defeating the pair in set one, 21-18, before falling in sets two (13-21) and three (11-15). The pair turned things around in match two against UNCW, taking down Mya Duggan and Reagan Evans in straight sets, 21-8, 21-17.
Graduate student Eva Torruella and sophomore Kendall Peters came out strong in the second match of the day against the Seahawks, defeating JM Lewandowski and Ashley Thompson from the No. 1 spot, 21-12, 21-19.
No. 17 South Carolina 4, Tulane 1
- Skylar Allen/Katie Smith (SC) def. Eva Toruella/Kendall Peters (TU) 21-16, 21-17
- Avery Davis/Madison Brabham (SC) def. Addison Hermstad/Samantha Mehlman TU) 21-14, 19-21, 17-15
- Jordan Smith/Jess Vastine (SC) def. Avery Arellano/Tarin Mergener (TU) 18-21, 21-17, 16-14
- Lara Torruella/Ashton Mares (TU) def. Hannah Mackenhausen/Alyssa Keller (SC) 21-11, 23-21
- Morgyn Greer/Carly Schnieder (SC) def. Allie Olsonski/Maddie Speicher (TU) 18-21, 21-13, 15-11=
Tulane 5, UNC Wilmington 0
- Eva Torruella/Kendall Peters (TU) def. JM Lewandowski/Ashley Thompson (UNCW) 21-12, 21-19
- Addison Hermstad/Samantha Mehlman (TU) def. Casey Goodwin/Sadie Sharkey (UNCW) 21-14, 21-14
- Tarin Mergener/Avery Arellano (TU) def. Katie Lanz/Rachel Schaffer (UNCW) 21-15, 21-15
- Lara Torruella/Ashton Mares (TU) def. Brooke Hanshumaker/Elena Turnbill (UNCW) 21-18, 21-18
- Allie Olsonoski/Maddie Speicher (TU) def. Mya Duggan/Reagan Evans (UNCW) 21-8, 21-17
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