BIRMNGHAM (April 12, 2024) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team is set for their final weekend outing in Birmingham, Ala. for the Blazer Beach Bash on April 13-14. The Lions travel to the campus of UAB to face the Blazers, along with matchups against Mercer and Southern Miss.
 
North Alabama preps for the weekend after appearing in the FSU Unconquered Invitational last time out. UNA faced the most competitive field in program history last weekend with four ranked teams and one that received votes, but the Lions left with their first victory over a ranked opponent in a 4-1 win over No. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. North Alabama also faced No. 4 Florida State, No. 14 FIU, No. 16 FAU and North Florida, with the Lions nearly earning the first ranked win in a 3-2 defeat to FAU.
 
After the loaded weekend in Tallahassee, UNA heads to Birmingham before ending the regular season with Senior Day on April 16 and the Chattanooga Clash on April 17. With a clinched spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference Beach Volleyball Championships, the Lions turn their attention to finishing the season strong with momentum for a postseason run.
 
The invitational opens Saturday, April 13, with day one bouts against Southern Miss at 10 a.m. and Mercer at noon. Sunday will conclude the invitational against host UAB in a noon matchup.
 
Full results and a recap will be posted on RoarLions.com following the action. Fans can also follow along on the UNA Beach Volleyball social media pages.
 
MATCH 1
North Alabama vs. Southern Miss
Saturday, April 13, 2024
10 a.m.
Live Stats |Twitter
 
 
MATCH 2
North Alabama vs. Mercer
Saturday, April 13, 2024
NOON
Live Stats | Twitter
 
MATCH 3
North Alabama at UAB (RV)
Sunday, April 14, 2024
NOON
Live Stats | Twitter
 
 
NOTES

SCOUTING THE LIONS: North Alabama looks to stay in the win column after ending last weekend with the big win. UNA averages a 3.4-point margin of victory in 14 wins this season while sweeping opponents in six of the duals.
 
MILESTONE WINS: Graduate Paula Klemperer and senior Jelena Girod added to their illustrious UNA careers with milestone wins. Girod earned her 50th career win on March 22 in a 21-11, 21-17 win over EKU's Sami Deidesheimer and Arilyn Lee. Klemperer extended her program record of individual career wins, winning her 75th match in a 21-19, 25-27, 15-11 triumph over Marketa Svozilova and Sloane Woolwine.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Top-flight pair Paula Klemperer and graduate Taylor Seney continue to lead from the front, registering a 15-7 record through 22 games. The pair received the first two ASUN Pair of the Week honors of the season on Feb. 28 and March 6 – their second and third career honor.
 
TWO'S CREW: Junior Katy Floyd and sophomore Selma Robinson have excelled in second-flight play, sporting an 18-5 record to lead the team in wins. The two were previously ranked in the AVCA/CollegeBeachVB.com pair rankings, ranking as high as first in the April 2 edition of the poll.
 
FLOYD'S FINE FORM: Floyd's individual performance was recognized on a national level April 2 when the junior ranked fifth in the AVCA/CollegeBeachVB.com player rankings.
 
DYNAMIC DUO(S): North Alabama have had three pairs ranked in the top five of the AVCA/CollegeBeachVB.com pair rankings this season. Floyd and Robinson spent time as the top-ranked pair from flight two, while Klemperer and Seney were ranked as high as third from flight one in the Feb. 27 poll. Jelena Girod and freshman Sarah Larkin Lewis were ranked fifth from flight five in the April 2 pair rankings.
 
A LONG TIME COMING: UNA finished the FSU Unconquered Invitational with a historic 4-1 win over No. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – the first win over a ranked opponent in program history. The Lions were 0-14 previously against ranked opponents. As an athletic department, it marked the first win over a nationally ranked Division I team since women's basketball defeated ranked FGCU in 2020.

ALMOST THERE!: North Alabama received votes in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Coaches Poll for the first time this season. The Lions received two votes in the March 5 edition of the poll, with Texas A&M- Corpus Christi (9), Tulane (6), South Carolina (2) and Boise State (2) receiving votes along with UNA.

POWER FIVE, BEWARE: The 2024 season has provided program milestones after the Lions defeated their first two Power Five opponents. UNA's first Power Five win came at the Green Wave Invitational, defeating Oregon in a 5-0 sweep. The following weekend at the Tiger Beach Bash saw UNA sweep Nebraska for its second Power Five win.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISS: Southern Miss enters the weekend at 12-18 overall with a 2-5 record in the Sun Belt. The Golden Eagles will look to break a four-dual skid after last competing at the GSU Diggin' Duals in Atlanta. Top-flight pair Ola Chudzik and Sarah Murczek have seven wins on the year, but Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda lead the team with 10 wins from the second flight. Southern Miss is led by head coach Shawn Taylor.

SERIES HISTORY VERSUS THE GOLDEN EAGLES: This will be the first all-time meeting.

SCOUTING MERCER: Mercer makes the trip to Birmingham at 16-14 overall with a 2-6 record in the Sun Belt. The Bears' last outing came at the Palmetto Invitational, where Mercer finished with one win over Morehead State. The Bears' top four pairs have won at least 10 matches with second-flight pair Nicole O'Mara and Jordan Paddock leading with 14 wins. Mercer's head coach is Josh Marsh.

SERIES HISTORY VERSUS THE BEARS: The Lions look to gain their second all-time win against Mercer, with the series tied at 1-1. UNA won the previous meeting, 4-1, on April 15, 2023.

SCOUTING UAB: The Blazers hosts the Lions in the first of two meetings on the week. UAB will face the Lions a second time April 16 in the first dual of UNA's Senior Day. UAB is 13-11 overall with a 1-3 conference record and received one vote in the April 9 edition of the AVCA Coaches Poll. Last time out, the Blazers went 1-3 at the FSU Unconquered Invitational, highlighted by a 3-2 upset of No. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The top-flight pair of Arden Copping and Jasmine Haas have a team-high 16 wins. UAB's head coach is Delaney Clesen.
 
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS THE BLAZERS: North Alabama looks to gain its first win against the Blazers in the fifth all-time meeting.

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