Tulane Earns Two Wins on Day One of NOLA Classic

Friday, April 17

New Orleans, LA

8:30 AM

Tulane University

University of Arizona

Photo by: Wyatt Streett

Tulane Earns Two Wins on Day One of NOLA Classic

Apr 17, 2026 | Women's Beach Volleyball

By: Wyatt Streett

ELMWOOD, La. – The Tulane beach volleyball team kicked off its final regular season weekend with a pair of victories at White Sands Volleyball Courts Friday. On the first day of the NOLA Classic, the Green Wave fell in a tight 3-2 battle to No. 20 Arizona before dispatching Louisiana Monroe (ULM) and New Orleans (UNO) 5-0 each. Tulane moved to 21-12 with just two more regular season duals remaining.

The morning began with a hard-fought battle against No. 20 Arizona. The Wildcats claimed the early lead in the dual with a 21-18, 21-8 victory at the fourth flight over Gigi Gallegos and Avery Burks. Emma Morris and Katie Hansen pulled Tulane level at the second flight, sweeping by scores of 21-17 and 21-19. The Wave pulled in front 2-1 thanks to the top flight of Molly Trodd and Skylar Ensign, who claimed the win with sets of 21-14 and 21-19. At flight No. 5, McKenzie Cutler and Sam O'Connor lost a close first frame 21-18 before losing the second, 21-16. The dual came down to the third flight, where Amirah Ali and Tawny Ensign were locked in a tight tilt. The Wildcats edged out the first set in extra points 22-20, and the second set almost went over as well, but Arizona held off the Tulane tandem's late push to win 21-19. This sealed the dual 3-2 for Arizona.

Tulane got back in the win column against ULM, sweeping the Warhawks with no sets dropped. Morris and Hansen finished first, winning both sets by a margin of 21-15 at No. 2. Moving up to flight four, Cutler and O'Connor swept 21-14 and 21-18. Now at the fifth flight, Burks and Gallegos made quick work to clinch the dual, delivering sets of 21-10 and 21-11. Trodd and S. Ensign claimed sets of 21-19 and 21-16 at the top flight, and the 5-0 victory was polished off at No. 3 by Ali and T. Ensign with their sets of 21-14 and 21-13.

The Wave closed out the afternoon against crosstown rival UNO, notching yet another 5-0 sweep. Morris and Hansen earned a 21-19 win in set one before running away with set two 21-8. Remaining at No. 4, Cutler and O'Connor handled business with wins of 21-18 and 21-10. At the fifth flight, Gallegos paired with Giorgia Walther, and the tandem secured the clinching victory with sets of 21-15 and 21-14. The third flight of Ali and T. Ensign won both sets by a margin of 21-15. At the top flight, Trodd and S. Ensign dropped the opening frame 21-18 before rallying to win 21-12 to force a third frame. The opening set would prove to be the lone set won by UNO, as the Tulane tandem held firm in the final frame, 16-14, to notch the 5-0 margin.

Action concludes tomorrow with a pair of duals to round out the regular season. The day opens with senior day festivities at 8:00 a.m. prior to the first wave of duals. Tulane will honor its six seniors, and the Wave will then hit the courts at 8:30 a.m. to take on Conference USA foe Florida International. In the afternoon, Tulane takes on Southern Miss at 1:30 p.m. to close out the NOLA Classic.

Tulane 2, #20 Arizona 3
1 – Molly Trodd / Skylar Ensign (TULN) def. Regan Holmer / Carlie Cisneros (ARIZ) 21-14, 21-19
2 – Emma Morris / Katie Hansen (TULN) def. Ashlyn Zilliken / Madeline Walker (ARIZ) 21-17, 21-19
3 – Meghan O'Meara / Adriana Nieves Papaleo (ARIZ) def. Amirah Ali / Tawny Ensign (TULN) 22-20, 21-19
4 – Jamie Streit / Sophia Winter (ARIZ) def. Gigi Gallgos / Avery Burks (TULN) 21-18, 21-8
5 – Brooke Boyko / Sadie Moore (ARIZ) def. McKenzie Cutler / Sam O'Connor (TULN) 21-18, 21-16
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 5, 3

Tulane 5, ULM 0
1 – Molly Trodd / Skylar Ensign (TULN) def. Abby Ryno / Claire Williamson (ULM) 21-19, 21-16
2 – Emma Morris / Katie Hansen (TULN) def. Katie Felts / Avery Hunter (ULM) 21-15, 21-15
3 – Amirah Ali / Tawny Ensign (TULN) def. Paige Ingersoll / Izabela Zukowska (ULM) 21-14, 21-13
4 – McKenzie Cutler / Sam O'Connor (TULN) def. Maddie Peterson / Brooke Bankston (ULM) 21-14, 21-18
5 – Gigi Gallegos / Avery Burks (TULN) def. Calli Otjen / Ava Sondrup (ULM) 21-10, 21-11
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3

Tulane 5, UNO 0
1 – Molly Trodd / Skylar Ensign (TULN) def. Ellie Sieling / Cassie Sieling (UNO) 18-21, 21-12, 16-14
2 – Emma Morris / Katie Hansen (TULN) def. Renata Dykstra / Lucci Alexander (UNO) 21-19, 21-8
3 – Amirah Ali / Tawny Ensign (TULN) def. Ashley Salazar / Saide Elliott (UNO) 21-15, 21-15
4 – McKenzie Cutler / Sam O'Connor (TULN) def. Mona Salgado / Kylie Lyons (UNO) 21-18, 21-10
5 – Gigi Gallegos / Giorgia Walther (TULN) def. Molly Perry / Malia Kampfe (UNO) 21-15, 21-14
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 3, 1

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