Green Wave Advances to C-USA Semifinals

Friday, April 26

Youngsville, LA

10 a.m.

Tulane University

(1) #6 TCU

Apr 26, 2024 | Women's Beach Volleyball

YOUNGSVILLE, La. – After dropping the first dual of the day Friday, Tulane University beach volleyball bounced back to win two in a row to advance to the 2024 Conference USA Championship semifinals. The Green Wave fell to top-seeded No. 6 TCU to begin the day before taking down the seven seed Missouri State and the two seed No. 14 FIU to survive and advance to Saturday.

In the Wave's first dual Tulane squared off against the top overall seed in the tournament the sixth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs. It was a hard-fought matchup from the start between the Green Wave and the Horned Frogs.

Tulane won the first set at flight two behind the pairing of Sara Hall and Savka Popovic while also taking the opening set to the wire on each of the other four courts. The Wave forced a third set at both flight three with Lara Torruella and Tawny Ensign and flight four with Skylar Ensign and Samantha Green. However, TCU managed to pick up points at flights one and five before battling back to clinch the 3-0 win on court two in three sets.

Facing elimination for the first time in its second dual of the day the Wave faced seventh-seeded Missouri State for the first time this season. Tulane claimed command quickly against the Bears by winning the first set on all five courts.

Green and S. Ensign were the first to put the Green Wave on the board with a two-set victory at flight four. Tulane took a commanding 2-0 lead shortly after as Trinity Jackson and Molly Trodd notched a two-set win at flight one. Trodd showed out against the Bears tallying 13 kills while Jackson added four aces.

Tulane clinched the match to avoid elimination at flight five behind a two-set victory by Amelia Mullen and McKenzie Cutler to make it a 3-0 final in favor of the Wave.

In its second elimination match of the day the Green Wave squared off against the two seed No. 16 FIU for the second time this season. Tulane took the slight advantage early against the Panthers by earning wins in the first set on courts three, four, and five.

FIU was the first team on the board winning on court one in two sets, but the deficit was short lived for the Wave as S. Ensign and Geen tied the dual at 1-1 with a two-set win on court four.

Tulane briefly fell behind again after the Panthers picked up the point on court two. However, Mullen and Cutler closed the gap on court five winning in two sets to even the score at 2-2.

The dual victory and escape from elimination came down to the battle on court three. The pairing Torruella and T. Ensign stepped up to the challenge for the Green Wave holding on to take court three in two sets and clinch the 3-2 victory for Tulane.

Up next, Tulane will take on the three seed Florida Atlantic with a trip to the C-USA Championship title match on the line Saturday. The dual between the Green Wave and the Owls is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and air live on ESPN+.

Friday Results – April 26
(1) #6 TCU 3, (5) Tulane 0
1. Hailey Hamlett/Anhelina Khmil (TCU) def. Trinity Jackson/Molly Trodd (Tulane) 21-18, 21-19
2. Sutton MacTavish/Ana Vergara (TCU) def. Sara Hall/Savka Popovic (Tulane) 19-21, 21-18, 15-8
3. Lara Torruella/Tawny Ensign (Tulane) vs. Tara Patton/Morgan Williams (TCU) 21-19, unfinished
4. Skylar Ensign/Samantha Green (Tulane) vs. Keagan Polk/Emma Glagau (TCU) 17-21, unfinished
5. Olivia Clines/Anete Namike (TCU) def. Amelia Mullen/McKenzie Cutler (Tulane) 21-16, 21-16
Order of finish: 1,5,2

(5) Tulane 3, (7) Missouri State 0
1. Jackson/Trodd (Tulane) def. Becca Bach/Manuela Niemeyer (MSU) 21-16, 21-13
2. Hall/Popovic (Tulane) vs. Mackenzie Steele/Amanda Cleary (MSU) 21-18, unfinished
3. Torruella/T. Ensign (Tulane) vs. Olivia Muriel/Erin Eschelman (MSU) 21-14, unfinished
4. S. Ensign/Green (Tulane) def. Ally Larkin/Olivia Rattler (MSU) 21-8, 21-12
5. Mullen/Cutler (Tulane) def. Brooke Plessner/Maddie Schrandt (MSU) 21-17, 21-17
Order of finish: 4,1,5

(5) Tulane 3, (2) #14 FIU 2
1. Giada Bianchi/Reka Orsi Toth (FIU) def. Jackson/Trodd (Tulane) 21-14, 21-10
2. Lisa Luini/Alice Pratesi (FIU) def. Hall/Popovic (Tulane) 21-15, 21-18
3. Torruella/T. Ensign (Tulane) vs. Zuza Bielak/Lucie Pokorna (FIU) 23-21, 21-18
4. S. Ensign/Green (Tulane) def. Lauren Huggins/Kendra Brown (FIU) 21-17, 21-12
5. Mullen/Cutler (Tulane) def. Zoe Cahill/Hania Taduran (FIU) 21-18, 21-18
Order of finish: 1,4,2,5,3

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