Beach Challenges No. 7 LSU, UCA but Falls in Houston

HOUSTON – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beach volleyball opened the HBU Beach Invitational by displaying continued improvement in losses to seventh-ranked LSU and Central Arkansas Saturday.
 
The Islanders began the day facing a monumental task in the form of nationally-ranked LSU. The Blue and Green hung tough with the Tigers, but ultimately fell 4-1.
 
Madison Woods and Madi Fitzsimmons highlighted the afternoon match with their win at number two. Woods and Fitzsimmons scrapped out a come-from-behind, three-set thriller to give the Islanders their point in the match.
 
The two sophomores dropped the opening set to Emmy Allen and Lilly Kessler in a tight 21-19 battle. The Islander duo answered back with a 21-19 set of their own in the second to send the match into the third. As the first two sets went, the finale came down to the final point, where Woods and Fitzsimmons secured a 15-13 victory.
 
LSU, however, proved too much and claimed the 4-1 victory with a number of hard fought pairings. Kristyn Nicholson and Morgan Williams went neck-and-neck at the fifth spot, falling 21-13 in the first before losing a near inseparable 21-19 second.
 
At the top spot, Brittany Gilpin and Madison Green fell in 21-11, 21-16 fashion. The pair gave the Tigers' top duo a run, but were unable to find the key run. In the three spot, Morgan Carlson and Mallory Moran had a tight 21-17 battle in the first set before falling 21-8 in the second.
 
LSU rounded out the victory with a 21-6, 21-13 win on court four.
 
The afternoon match saw UCA knock off the Islanders for the second time in as many weeks. Again, the Islanders were right with the Bears in several sets, but could not find the winning formula.
 
Gilpin and Green were the highlight of the night cap, fighting into a third set at the top spot. The Islander pairing fell 21-16 in the first set before rallying for a 21-17 win in the second. The UCA tandem of Tippett and Nash were able to fend off the Islanders with a 15-12 third.
 
Nicholson and Williams were also held off in a tight battle at the fifth spot. The Islanders bounced back from a 21-12 loss in the first set to push their UCA foes to the brink in the second, but the Bears had just enough for the 21-19 win.
 
Carlson and Moran were upended in a close 21-18 first set before falling 21-10 in the second. Woods and Fitzsimmons were unable to continue their momentum from the opening win, falling in straight sets. UCA closed the match out with a 21-14, 21-12 victory at four.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Islanders will challenge host Houston Baptist in the weekend finale on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m.