NEW ORLEANS, La. (February 24, 2024) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team concluded day two of the Green Wave Invitational from New Orleans Saturday, finishing 1-1 on the day with the first Power 5 win in program history over the Oregon Ducks, 5-0.
The Lions leave Louisiana with three total wins after two wins on Friday, Feb. 23 over Southeastern Louisiana and New Orleans. UNA followed the thrilling sweep over Oregon with a matchup against Tulane in the afternoon, falling to the Green Wave by a narrow 3-2 margin. Tulane is receiving votes in the national polls and is off to a 5-0 start.
With two wins, Preseason All-ASUN tandem Paula Klemperer and Taylor Seney extended a 14-match win streak, marking the longest individual win streak in program history.
Match 1 — North Alabama 5, Oregon 0
In an early morning bout, North Alabama earned their first win over a Power Five opponent in the program history in a sweep of the Ducks.
Junior Ryenne Gepford and senior Martha McLaurin beat Oregon's Landree Coats and Skylar Kelly for the first win from the fourth flight, 21-12, 21-16. Junior Katy Floyd and sophomore Selma Robinson battled back after dropping the first set in their match, winning 16-21, 21-18, 15-9 over Jensen Kaelin/Ashley Schoeder from the No. 2 spot.
The remaining three matches resulted in straight-set wins over Oregon, starting with graduate student Klemperer and Seney's 21-12, 21-12 win from the top flight over Daley McClellan/Alina Valenti. The graduate pair of Kaitlyn Holbrook and Mackenzie Martin won their match over Natasha George/Sophia Gregoire from No. 3 — 21-17, 21-18.
Sophomore Grace Austin and senior Jelena Girod finished the sweep with a dominant win over Presley McCaskill/Isabel Patterson, 21-9, 21-13.
1. Klemperer/Seney (UNA) def. McClellan/Valenti (UO) 21-12, 21-12
2. Floyd/Robinson (UNA) def. Kaelin/Schroeder (UO) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9
3. Holbrook/Martin (UNA) def. George/Gregoire (UO) 21-17, 21-18
4. Gepford/McLaurin (UNA) def. Coats/Kelly (UO) 21-12, 21-16
5. Austin/Girod (UNA) def. McCaskill/Patterson (UO) 21-9, 21-13
Match 2 — Tulane 3, North Alabama 2
The Lions suffered their first loss of the invitational to the hosts, winning the top two flights before falling to the Green Wave in the third, fourth and fifth spots.
North Alabama and Tulane split the first two matches, with UNA's win coming from Floyd/Robinson's 21-16, 21-18 win over Tulane's Sara Hall and Molly Trodd at No. 2. Klemperer and Seney also extended their program record winning streak to a 14th match, defeating Trinity Jackson/Savka Popovic from the top flight before Tulane edged it out, including a very tight third flight decided by five total points.
1. Klemperer/Seney (UNA) def. Jackson/Popovic (TU) 21-18, 21-15
2. Floyd/Robinson (UNA) def. Floyd/Robinson (TU) 21-16, 21-18
3. Ensign/Torreulla (TU) def. Holbrook/Martin (UNA) 21-17, 21-18
4. Ensign/Green (TU) def. Gepford/McLaurin (UNA) 21-12, 21-16
5. Cutler/Mullen (TU) def. Austin/Girod (UNA)21-9, 21-13
COMING UP NEXT
UNA Beach Volleyball will head back to Louisiana for the Tiger Beach Classic set for March 2-3. Hosted by LSU, day one sees the Lions facing the Nebraska and Tulane on March 2, with day two matchups against Houston Christian and LSU on March 3.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
