FLORENCE, Ala. (March 9, 2024) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team wrapped up its second-straight 2-0 day from the UNA Beach Volleyball Courts, defeating Carson Newman and Austin Peay in day two of the UNA Invitational.
The Lions finished unbeaten in a weekend invitational for the first time this season, building on day one's 2-0 start by adding two more wins Saturday.
UNA swept the Eagles 5-0 after beating them 4-1 on opening day, setting up North Alabama's first Atlantic Sun Conference bout against Austin Peay. Dropping the opening two matches, UNA got three-straight wins from the top three flights to lift the Lions over the Governors for their first ASUN win.
The first of two home invitationals complete, North Alabama sends the home crowd happy after a perfect weekend from Florence. The second home outing finds the Lions hosting Senior Day on April 16.
North Alabama exits the weekend with a 9-3 overall record while owning a 1-0 record in ASUN play. Two more losses moves Carson Newman to 11-5. Austin Peay's record now stands at 6-5 overall and 0-1 in conference.
Match 1 — North Alabama 5, Carson Newman 0
Just like day one, North Alabama opened with a bout against Carson Newman, and like the first match, it ended with a Lions' win. UNA improved from yesterday's 4-1 outing with a sweep of the Eagles.
Senior Taylor Seney and graduate Paula Klemperer's first match went into a tiebreak, but the UNA's number ones pulled through to win, 22-20. Seney and Klemperer came alive in set two, taking the set and the match with a 21-6 win over Sierra Still and Truth Hafey.
UNA number two pair Ryenne Gepford and Selma Robinson were able to open their day with a 21-11, 21-9 victory over the Eagles' Paige Halcrow and Mckenna Hall. Court three also went in favor of the Lions, as junior Katy Floyd and graduate Kaitlyn Holbrook beat Jenny Ille and Ava Fountain, 21-8, 21-16.
Sophomore Sarah Larkin Lewis and senior Jelena Girod gained the fourth team win for UNA, defeating Morgan Foy and Camryn Ehlers from the fourth flight. To complete the sweep, senior Martha McLaurin and sophomore Grace Austin took a competitive 21-16, 21-17 win over the Eagles' Trinity Hafey and Kat Nelson.
In extras, freshman Hope Dicken and sophomore Kati Anderson's quick start in the first set gave way to their 21-3, 21-13 victory over Paige Bussom and Madeline Holmes.
Court 1: Taylor Seney/Paula Klemperer (UNA) def. Sierra Still/Truth Hafey (CN), 22-20, 21-6
Court 2: Ryenne Gepford/Selma Robinson (UNA) def. Paige Halcrow/Mckenna Hall (CN), 21-11, 21-9
Court 3: Katy Floyd/Kaitlyn Holbrook (UNA) def. Jenny Ille/Ava Fountain (CN), 21-8, 21-16
Court 4: Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA) def. Morgan Foy/Camryn Ehlers (CN), 21-12, 21-11
Court 5: Martha McLaurin/Grace Austin (UNA) def. Trinity Hafey/Kat Nelson (CN), 21-16, 21-17
Extra: Hope Dicken/Kati Anderson (UNA) def. Paige Bussom/Madeline Holmes (CN), 21-3, 21-13
Match 2 — North Alabama 3, Austin Peay 2
UNA's final match of the invitational proved the most thrilling, as the Lions overcame a 2-0 deficit to earn their first conference win and end the weekend undefeated.
Starting with the fourth flight, Anna Rita and Riley Marshall got the first win of the day for the Govs, overcoming a first-set win by UNA's Austin and Holbrook. The Governor's number four pair dropped the first, 21-19, but went on to win the second set and tiebreaker, 21-15 and 15-9. The fifth flight also went to Austin Peay after Elizabeth Smith and Tristin Smith overcame a first-set deficit to win the final two frames, 21-19, 15-11.
Needing a response, enter UNA's Martin and Gepford, who got the first win for North Alabama in straight sets from court three, 21-15, 21-12. The number two pair of Floyd and Robinson showed their poise from the second flight, getting the comfortable 21-12, 21-13 win over Jamie Seward and Jillian Stein to set up the decider in the top flight.
Seney and Klemperer wasted no time in the first set against Austin Peay's Kelsey Mead and Aurora Bibolotti, grabbing the opening frame, 21-6. The Govs' top pair answered UNA's set-opening win with a 21-13 victory of their own, leading to a third and final set to determine the team winner. In the end, the Lions' top-flight pair came up clutch, cementing the undefeated weekend with the 15-8 third-set win.
The extra match of Austin Peay's Emily Freel/Maggie Duyos and North Alabama's Abby Robertson/Christian Mitchell was won by the Governors, beating the UNA pair from court six in a highly-competitive match, 22-20, 21-18.
Court 1: Taylor Seney/Paula Klemperer (UNA) def. Kelsey Mead/Aurora Bibolotti (APSU), 21-6, 13-21, 15-8
Court 2: Katy Floyd/Selma Robinson (UNA) def. Jamie Seward/Jillian Stein (APSU), 21-12, 21-13
Court 3: Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford (UNA) def. Mikayla Powell/Montana-Rae Pelak (APSU), 21-15, 21-12
Court 4: Anna Rita/Riley Marshall (APSU) def. Grace Austin/Kaitlyn Holbrook (UNA), 19-21, 21-15, 15-9
Court 5: Elizabeth Wheat/Tristin Smith (APSU) def. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA), 16-21, 21-19, 15-11
Extra: Emily Freel/Maggie Duyos (APSU) def. Abby Robertson/Christian Mitchell (UNA), 22-20, 21-18
COMING UP NEXT
UNA hits the road for the third time this season, heading to DeLand, Fla. for the Stetson Invitational set for March 15-16. The Lions are scheduled to face Charleston and UNC Wilmington on March 15 and ASUN foes Stetson and Jacksonville on March 16.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
