CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – On its home sand, the No. 1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beach volleyball team left no doubt, sweeping No. 4 HCU 3-0 for the second time this tournament to capture the 2026 Southland Conference Beach Volleyball title Friday at Water's Edge Park.
The Islanders powered through the bracket without dropping a team point, securing the conference's automatic berth to next week's NCAA Tournament. It marks the program's fourth ever NCAA appearance, while the title adds to an impressive run of four tournament championships in the last five years and seven overall title over the past six seasons.
A&M-Corpus Christi set the tone early at the No. 4 flight, where
Mia Stevens and
Saskia Hernandez controlled the match from the start and closed out a 21-13, 22-20 win to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead.
At No. 2,
Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo and
Millie Olsson delivered the match's most gripping moment. After taking the first set and narrowly dropping the second, the pair found themselves facing multiple match points in a tense third. Each time, they responded before finally breaking through for a 21-11, 21-23, 19-17 victory that brought the Islanders to the brink of a championship.
The clinching point came moments later at No. 5 and it came emphatically.
Lizzie Denyer and
Ashlyn Rough overwhelmed their court from the opening serve, stringing together point after point in a lopsided 21-4 first set. They never let up in the second, closing out a 21-11 win to seal the title.
Two matches went unfinished following the clinch. At the top flight,
Kristin Bobay and
Madison Morrow led 21-14, 18-10, while at No. 3,
Mille Maxwell-Berthou and
Bryce Ranney were fighting ahead in the second set.
Following the match, Fernandes de Melo and Olsson were named the tournament's Most Valuable Pair after going 3-0 on the week including grinding out the team's most gritty dual win today.
With the title secured, A&M-Corpus Christi now turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament in Gulf Shores, Alabama next weekend. They await their seeding with the Selection Show set for this Sunday at 12 p.m.
Fans, students, and faculty are welcome to join the team in a watch party, which will be held on campus in the University Center Lonestar Ballroom. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. ahead of the selection show beginning at 12 p.m.
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