Tulane Finishes Runner-Up at C-USA Championship

Saturday, April 27

Youngsville, LA

9 a.m.

Tulane University

(3) #19 FAU

Tulane Finishes Runner-Up at C-USA Championship

Apr 27, 2024 | Women's Beach Volleyball

YOUNGSVILLE, La. – Tulane University beach volleyball collects four wins in three days at Sugar Beach to finish as the runner-up in the 2024 Conference USA Beach Volleyball Championship on Saturday. The Green Wave finishes the season with a program-record 26 wins including three victories over ranked opponents.

In the C-USA Championship the Wave defeated UAB, Missouri State, No. 14 FIU, and No. 19 FAU en route to its runner-up finish. Tulane had two pairs earn All-Tournament Team honors in Lara Torruella and Tawny Ensign at flight three and Samantha Green and Skylar Ensign at flight four. Torruella and T. Ensign went 2-0 in the tournament including the match clinching win over 14th-ranked FIU. Green and S. Ensign posted a perfect 4-0 record in the tournament with wins over No. 14 FIU and No. 19 FAU.

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On Saturday, Tulane opened the day against the three seed 19th-ranked FAU with a trip to the title match on the line. The Green Wave battled the Owls for a tight 3-2 victory to advance to the championship match and go 2-0 against FAU on the season.

The Wave fell a couple of times against the Owls but mounted a response each time. FAU picked up the first point of the dual at flight one before Green and S. Ensign put Tulane on the board from flight four with a two-set win to even the dual at 1-1.

After FAU reclaimed the lead at flight two, the Green Wave bounced back again to even the dual at 2-2 as Torruella and T. Ensign earned the win at flight three in two sets.

Flight five was the pivotal match of the dual as Tulane and FAU split the first two sets to move to a decisive third set. McKenzie Cutler and Amelia Mullen were up for the challenge for the Wave with a chance to advance on the line. The Green Wave pair outlasted the Owls in the third set 17-15 to clinch the 3-2 win and send the Wave to the title match.

Tulane squared off against top-seeded No. 6 TCU for the second time in the tournament in the championship Saturday. The championship dual began in a similar fashion to the first meeting between the Wave and the Horned Frogs.

Torruella and T. Ensign at flight three and Green and S. Ensign at flight four both won their first set while TCU took the first set at flights one, two, and five.

Despite tight battles at flights one and two the Green Wave was unable to battle back against the sixth-ranked Horned Frogs. TCU ultimately won the point at flights one, two, and five as Tulane would finish as the runner-up.

Saturday Results – April 27
(5) Tulane 3, (3) #19 FAU 2
1. Juli Honzovicova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) def. Trinity Jackson/Molly Trodd (Tulane) 21-16, 21-12
2. Marketa Svozilova/Courtney Moon (FAU) def. Sara Hall/Savka Popovic (Tulane) 21-18, 21-15
3. Lara Torruella/Tawny Ensign (Tulane) vs. Olivia Strandberg/Mikaya Law-Heese (FAU) 21-19, 21-19
4. Skylar Ensign/Samantha Green (Tulane) vs. Kate McLaughlin/Logan Mignerey (FAU) 21-17, 21-15
5. Amelia Mullen/McKenzie Cutler (Tulane) def. Kendall Mignerey/Sloane Woolwine (FAU) 21-14, 14-21, 17-15
Order of finish: 1,4,2,3,5

(1) #6 TCU 3, (5) Tulane 0
1. Hailey Hamlett/Anhelina Khmil (TCU) def. Jackson/Trodd (Tulane) 21-14, 21-19
2. Sutton MacTavish/Ana Vergara (TCU) def. Hall/Popovic (Tulane) 21-15, 21-15
3. Torruella/T. Ensign (Tulane) vs. Tara Patton/Morgan Williams (TCU) 21-17, unfinished
4. S. Ensign/Green (Tulane) def. Keagan Polk/Emma Glagau (TCU) 21-19, unfinished
5. Olivia Clines/Anete Namike (TCU) def. Mullen/Cutler (Tulane) 21-17, 21-11
Order of finish: 2,5,1

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