Volleyball Has Tough Opening Day At LSU Battle At The Beach

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana – The University of New Orleans beach volleyball team had a tough day on Saturday in the state capital as the Privateers suffered consecutive losses to LSU, Houston Baptist and New Mexico in day one of the LSU Battle At The Beach at Mango's Beach Volleyball Club.

After falling 5-0 to the host and No. 9 Lady Tigers, UNO dropped a 4-1 decision to Houston Baptist and wrapped the day with a 5-0 defeat at the hands of No. 16 New Mexico. The lone pairs victory for the Privateers came in No. 2 action against HBU as senior Lauren Levy and sophomore Cara Sander defeated Bailey Banks and Melissa Fuchs 17-21, 21-18, 15-12.

While each of the Privateers' head-to-head showdowns against LSU and New Mexico came in straight sets, UNO got better as the day went on. In addition to UNO's three-set victory on Court 2 against the Huskies, the tandem of junior Brooklyn Frank and freshman Samantha Uline won its opening set against Kayla Armer and Haley Durham 21-17 before dropping the next two 21-13 and 16-14.

New Orleans had another chance to extend a pairs match into a three-setter on Court 5 as freshman Lane Hindenburg and senior Milica Zmiric gave Guinevere Meyer and Ashley Vann all they could handle but ultimately fell 21-16, 22-20. The Privateers also saw another close call go the wrong way at the top of the lineup as freshman Kaitlin Grice and senior Celeste Ramirez fell just short in a 23-21 set-one loss to Ariel Horton and Jessica Wooten before falling in set two 21-15.

The Privateers will close out the LSU Battle At The Beach and the 2016 season on Sunday when UNO takes on TCU and Tulane. Those matches are slated to begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.
 
LSU TIGERS (19-8) DEFEAT NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS (3-16): 5-0
No. 1: Ashley Allmer / Katie Lindelow (LSU) def. Kaitlin Grice / Celeste Ramirez (UNO) – 21-16, 21-8
No. 2: Helen Boyle / Lilly Kessler (LSU) def. Lauren Levy / Cara Sander (UNO) – 21-15, 21-9
No. 3: Callan Molle / Riley Young (LSU) def. Brooklyn Frank / Samantha Uline (UNO) – 21-14, 21-17
No. 4: Victoria Boraski / Mandi Orellana (LSU) def. Blessing Dunn / Madison Miller (UNO) – 21-10, 21-14
No. 5: Megan Davenport / Cheyenne Wood (LSU) def. Lane Hindenburg / Milica Zmiric (UNO) – 21-8, 21-13
 
HOUSTON BAPTIST HUSKIES (7-10) DEFEAT NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS (3-17): 4-1
No. 1: Ariel Horton / Jessica Wooten (HBU) def. Kaitlin Grice / Celeste Ramirez (UNO) – 23-21, 21-15
No. 2: Lauren Levy / Cara Sander (UNO) def. Bailey Banks / Melissa Fuchs (HBU) – 17-21, 21-18, 15-12
No. 3: Kayla Armer / Haley Durham (HBU) def. Brooklyn Frank / Samantha Uline (UNO) – 18-21, 21-13, 16-14
No. 4: Hailey Erickson / Madi O'Brien (HBU) def. Blessing Dunn / Madison Miller (UNO) – 21-11, 21-15
No. 5: Guinevere Meyer / Ashley Vann (HBU) def. Lane Hindenburg / Milica Zmiric (UNO) – 21-16, 22-20
 
NEW MEXICO LOBOS (17-9) DEFEAT NEW ORLEANS PRIVATEERS (3-18): 5-0
No. 1: Cassie House / Ashley Kelsea (UNM) def. Kaitlin Grice / Celeste Ramirez (UNO) – 21-18, 21-13
No. 2: Lisa Rugland / Devanne Sours (UNM) def. Lauren Levy / Cara Sander (UNO) – 21-15, 22-20
No. 3: Hannah Johnson / Julia Warren (UNM) def. Brooklyn Frank / Samantha Uline (UNO) – 21-9, 21-11
No. 4: Eastyn Baleto / Marisa Doran (UNM) def. Blessing Dunn / Madison Miller (UNO) – 21-13, 21-12
No. 5: Carson Heilborn / Maddie Mayfield (UNM) def. Lane Hindenburg / Milica Zmiric (UNO) – 21-13, 24-22