Tulane University
#3 TCU
Beach Volleyball Closes 2021 Season in CCSA Championship, Drops Close 2-3 Match to No. 7 TCU
Apr 24, 2021 | Women's Beach Volleyball
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — The RV Tulane beach volleyball team (22-15, 8-11 CCSA) closed its spring 2021 season on Saturday in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Championship, falling to No. 7 TCU in a 2-3 battle at the John Hunt Park Sand Volleyball Complex.
"Ending this unforgettable season on a battle like this with all the bittersweet emotions that come with it is very tough for us all," head coach Eyal Zimet. "Our team, we felt, was locked in and ready to go to war this morning! From Eva [Torruella] and Kendall [Peters] who valiantly competed against one of the top pairs in the nation. One of the gutsiest performances I have seen by Addie [Hermstad] and Sam [Mehlman] coming back from down 10-14 in the third to win the match! Tarin [Mergener] and Avery [Arellano] showed up huge with arguably their best game of the season to win on our three's! Ashton [Mares] and Lara [Totruella] were tremendous for us all weekend long and gave it their all again this morning. Allie [Olsonoski] and Maddie [Speicher] battled courageously to put us in a position to win the dual. I am extremely proud of our entire squad for the camaraderie and grit shown today. In a year like no other, during a season like no other, with a unique group of dedicated student-athletes like no other, we were able to succeed both in the classroom, with a program high GPA over 3.6 and amassing on the sand an impressive 20 plus wins record! Lots to be grateful for, a ton to be proud of and plenty to look forward to!"
Senior Addison Hermstad and sophomore Samantha Mehlman continued with their success from the No. 2 position, defeating TCU's Olivia Blackburn and Hailey Brockett in three sets (21-16, 19-21, 18-16). After being down 10-14 in the third set, Hermstad and Mehlman came back to defeat the Horned Frogs and earn the win.
Also successful on the sand on Saturday were graduate students Avery Arellano and Tarin Mergener, as the duo beat TCU's Olivia Blackburn and Hailey Brockett on court three. The two won the first set, 21-19, fell in the second, 15-21, and came back to win it in the third with a 15-12 score.
Graduate student Allie Olsonoski and freshman Maddie Speicher were just short of pulling off the three-set win over Horned Frogs' Josie Miller and Caroline White from the No. 5 spot, falling in the first, 17-21, before winning the second, 21-16, and dropping the third, 13-15.
After going 1-2 in this weekend's CCSA Championship, the Green Wave finished their season with a 22-15 overall record and an 8-11 conference record. This marks the first time since 2018 that the Olive and Blue have totaled 20 or more wins in a season.
No. 7 TCU 3, Tulane 2
- Daniela Alvarez/Tania Moreno (TCU) def. Eva Toruella/Kendall Peters (TU) 21-13, 21-17
- Addison Hermstad/Samantha Mehlman (TU) def. Olivia Blackburn/Hailey Brockett (TCU) 21-16, 19-21, 18-16
- Avery Arellano/Tarin Mergener (TU) def. Rochelle Scott/Maria Gonzalez (TCU) 21-19, 15-21, 15-12
- Trinity Cavanaugh/Megan Jacobsen (TCU) def. Lara Torruella/Ashton Mares (TU) 19-21, 14-21
- Josie Miller/Caroline White (TCU) def. Allie Olsonoski/Maddie Speicher (TU) 21-17, 16-21, 15-13
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