FORTH WORTH, Texas – Concluding the regular season with a 21-9 overall record, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beach volleyball team turned in its best record in program history after beating UTEP 5-0 and FGCU 4-1 on Saturday at the TCU Tournament.
The Islanders (21-9) opened the day with a 5-0 sweep over UTEP (4-16) before capping the unbeaten day with a 4-1 decision over FGCU (12-14) on the final day of the 2023 regular season. It was A&M-Corpus Christi's first ever time facing either team.
It marks the second 20+ win season in program history since starting in 2016 after the Islanders posted a 21-13 record last season, though, it's the first time the program won 20+ matches in the regular season. It also marks the fourth consecutive winning season.
The 16-4 neutral record is also the best in program history. The Islanders finished with a 89-57 (.610) record in duals, also a program best.
Four courts went undefeated on the day, including sophomore
Jade Bennett/junior
Tori Johnson at court three and sophomore
Kela Moreno/redshirt junior
Shea Slusser at court five as neither pair dropped a set. Both pairs secured the first two points of each match for the Islanders.
At court one, senior
Giuliana Poletti Corrales teamed with graduate
Ashlyn Power in match one for a 21-13, 21-15 win over UTEP. Corrales then paired with graduate
Kiley Lewis to take on FGCU where the duo won the three-set dual 21-12, 20-22, 15-10.
Also going to three sets against FGCU was freshman
Kristin Bobay/graduate
Chloe Tome at the two spot. After dropping the first set 18-21, they powered back and won a grueling 30-28 set two to force a third where they won it 15-12. They swept UTEP in straight sets.
FGCU had been receiving votes in the AVCA Top-20 Poll. Seven of A&M-Corpus Christi's nine losses came against nationally ranked opponents, though, the program garnered its first ever win over a top-20 team this year with a 4-1 victory over #17 Arizona.
Moreno closed out the regular season with the team-best 22-8 overall record and 21-6 at court five. Bennett and Johnson closed with the best pair record on the team at 19-10, all from court three.
With the regular season over, the Islanders will set its eyes on the SLC Championships as the No. 1 seed after winning the league's inaugural regular season championship with a perfect 6-0 record. They will look to defend their tournament title and secure their third championship in two years at home, hosting the tournament on April 21-23 at Water's Edge Park.
A&M-Corpus Christi 5, UTEP 0
1. Power, Ashlyn/Poletti Corrales, G. (TAMUCC) def. Krista Paegle/Katie Martin (UTEP) 21-13, 21-15
2. Bobay, Kristin/Tome, Chloe (TAMUCC) def. Sara Pustahija/Ema Uskokovic (UTEP) 21-13, 22-20
3. Bennett, Jade/Johnson, Tori (TAMUCC) def. Paulina Acuna/Savannah Marenco (UTEP) 21-10, 21-13
4. Fernandes de Melo, M/Doyle, Hannah (TAMUCC) def. Serena Patterson/Madison Hilll (UTEP) 19-21, 21-19, 15-5
5. Slusser, Shea/Moreno, Kela (TAMUCC) def. Mia Bella Ruiz/Marian Ovalle (UTEP) 21-12, 21-14
Ext. Kostroun, Gloria/Barnes, Carissa (TAMUCC) def. Aaliyah Austin/Deanna Almaguer (UTEP) 21-13, 21-8
A&M-Corpus Christi 4, FGCU 1
1. Lewis, Kiley/Poletti Corrales, G. (TAMUCC) def. Kacie Johnson/Maddison Parmelly (FGCU) 21-12, 20-22, 15-10
2. Bobay, Kristin/Tome, Chloe (TAMUCC) def. Shelby Beisner/Trinity Rosales (FGCU) 18-21, 30-28, 15-12
3. Bennett, Jade/Johnson, Tori (TAMUCC) def. Nicole De Oliveira/Kaitlyn Luebbers (FGCU) 21-12, 21-16
4. Jacqueline Carpenter/Kristina Gluc (FGCU) def. Fernandes de Melo, M/Doyle, Hannah (TAMUCC) 21-14, 23-21
5. Slusser, Shea/Moreno, Kela (TAMUCC) def. Mia Thompson/Lexie Hamilton (FGCU) 21-13, 21-9
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