DELAND, Fla. (March 15, 2024) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team capped day one of the Stetson Invitational with two wins against Charleston and UNCW Friday.
The Lions shined bright in the Sunshine State, earning UNA's first wins over the two teams in program history. UNA opened the invitational with a sweep of the Sandy Cougs before battling the Seahawks en route to a 4-1 victory.
North Alabama looks to keep the momentum in day two, prepping for matchups against two Atlantic Sun Conference foes, No. 18 Stetson and Jacksonville. UNA record stands at 11-3 after day one, while Charleston moves to 3-6. UNCW heads into Saturday at 9-4.
Match 1 — North Alabama 5, Charleston 0
UNA opened the invitational with a sweep of Charleston – avenging a loss from the first-ever meeting with the Sandy Cougs in 2021.
The Lions came out the gates with two wins from the fourth and fifth flights. Graduate Kaitlyn Holbrook and sophomore Grace Austin won UNA's first match from flight four, defeating Charleston's Brooke Hoven/Elizabeth Curry, 21-13. 21-13.
Junior Jelena Girod and sophomore Sarah Larkin Lewis were pushed to a third set in their match from flight five. UNA's pair dropped a narrow 21-19 set in the first but recovered in the second set, 21-13. Girod/Lewis held strong in the decider, closing out Charleston's Kora Hansen/Olivia Knutson for the 19-21, 21-13, 15-13 win.
Top-flight pair graduate Paula Klemperer and senior Taylor Seney won their 11th match of the season with a 21-18, 21-10 win over Charleston's Maria Zweig/Julia Oravec. Graduate Mackenzie Martin and junior Ryenne Gepford followed suit with a 21-13, 21-13 win over Tynley Smeltzer/Alexa Psotka from the third flight.
The final match saw second-flight pair junior Katy Floyd and sophomore Selma Robinson also win their 11th match, defeating Jasmin Goei/Sofie Vogel, 21-16, 21-12, to complete the sweep.
Court 1: Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney (UNA) def. Maria Zweig/Julia Oravec (COC) 21-18, 21-10
Court 2. Selma Robinson/Katy Floyd (UNA) def. Jasmin Goei/Sofie Vogel (COC) 21-16, 21-12
Court 3: Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford (UNA) def. Tynley Smeltzer/Alexa Psotka (COC) 21-13, 21-13
Court 4: Kaitlyn Holbrook/Grace Austin (UNA) def. Brooke Hoven/Elizabeth Curry (COC) 21-13, 21-18
Court 5: Jelena Girod/Sarah Larkin Lewis (UNA) def. Kora Hansen/Olivia Knutson (COC) 19-21, 21-13, 15-13
Extra: Kati Anderson/Martha McLaurin (UNA) vs. Allison Howard/Sophie Hays (COC) no result
Match 2 — North Alabama 4, UNCW 1
UNA continued rolling in the second match, finishing the day 2-0 with a win over UNCW. The Seahawks won the first two meetings in 2022 and 2023, but the Lions took their first win in the series Friday.
The Lions won their 11th dual of the season, but the Seahawks kept it competitive in all four of North Alabama's wins in regulation, pushing the matches to three sets. UNA fought back after dropping the first match to sweep the remaining flights.
All four of the extra sets came down to the wire — decided by three points or less.
UNCW took the opener from flight four, but North Alabama responded from the fifth flight. UNA's Lewis/Girod tandem overcame a second-set defeat to win 21-15, 13-21, 15-12 – clinching the Lions' first points.
Klemperer/Seney were tested in their match, needing a final set after losing a close second from the top flight. The two pulled through to win the tight bout, 21-16, 17-21, 15-13. In the third flight, Martin/Gepford used a third set to clinch the team win by beating Gracie Sistrunk and Bri Haggerty, 24-22, 17-21, 15-13.
Floyd and Robinson's second-flight match started off slow, as the two dropped the opening set, 21-13. The two fought back with a 21-14 second set win to force a deciding set. UNCW's Maddy Folks and Lyvia Trimp kept it close, but the Lions showed their resilience to take the final frame and the win, 13-21, 21-14, 15-12.
Sophomore Kati Anderson and Holbrook gave North Alabama the fifth win of the dual, beating Grace Melnick and Caitlyn Callahan, 21-15, 21-8, in the extra match.
Court 1: Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney (UNA) def. Gabby LaPata/Sadie Sharkey (UNCW) 21-16, 17-21, 15-13
Court 2: Selma Robinson/Katy Floyd (UNA) def. Maddy Folks/Lyvia Trimp (UNCW) 13-21, 21-14, 15-12
Court 3: Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford (UNA) def. Gracie Sistrunk/Bri Haggerty (UNCW) 24-22, 17-21, 15-13
Court 4: Ellie Bucci/Sarah Thompson (UNCW) def. Kaitlyn Holbrook/Grace Austin (UNA) 21-8, 21-17
Court 5: Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA) def. Jadyn Barry/Charlotte Cronister (UNCW) 21-15, 13-21, 15-12
Extra: Kati Anderson/Martha McLaurin (UNA) def. Grace Melnick/Caitlyn Callahan (UNCW) 21-15, 21-8
COMING UP NEXT
The Stetson Invitational continues with day two on Saturday, March 16, pitting the Lions against Stetson at 7 a.m. CT and Jacksonville at 11 a.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
