DELAND, Fla. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beach volleyball team split its opening day at the Stetson Spring Invitational on Friday at the Cooper Beach Volleyball Complex, falling 4-1 to Florida Gulf Coast before bouncing back with a 4-1 win over the UAB Friday.
The Islanders opened the day in a tightly contested dual against FGCU, where four of the five flights were decided by two points or fewer in at least one set. A&M-Corpus Christi's lone point came at the No. 2 position as
Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo and
Millie Olsson battled past FGCU in straight sets, 22-20, 21-16.
The No. 1 flight of
Madison Morrow and
Kristin Bobay pushed their opponent to the brink, but FGCU held on in a pair of tight sets, 22-20 and 24-22, to clinch the dual. The Eagles completed the 4-1 decision at No. 4, where they outlasted
Lizzie Denyer and
Ashlyn Rough 28-26 in the opening set before finishing the match in set two.
The Islanders quickly regrouped in their second match of the day, earning a convincing 4-1 victory over UAB.
Bryce Ranney and Mille Maxwell Berthou got A&M-Corpus Christi on the board first with a 22-20, 21-13 win at No. 3, fighting through a tight opening set before pulling away in the second.
Mia Stevens and
Saskia Hernandez followed with a straight-set victory at No. 5, 21-17, 21-19, to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead in the dual. UAB picked up its lone point at No. 4, but the Islanders responded quickly.
Fernandes de Melo and Olsson remained unbeaten on the day, securing the clinching point at No. 2 with a 21-16, 21-17 victory. The No. 1 duo of Morrow and Bobay capped the match with a dramatic three-set win, 21-15, 17-21, 15-13, to finalize the 4-1 decision.
Fernandes de Mello and Olsson led the Islanders with a 2-0 record on the day, while Morrow and Bobay, Ranney and Berthou, and Stevens and Hernandez each added victories in the win over UAB.
Saturday, March 14
7 a.m. – A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Southern Miss
Scoring
9:30 a.m. – A&M-Corpus Christi vs. North Alabama
Scoring
#ShakasUp