HOUSTON – No. 4 University of New Orleans (6-17) was busy Friday at Third Coast Volleyball Club after defeating No. 5 Abilene Christian University 5-0 in the opening match of the 2018 Southland Conference Beach Volleyball Showcase. The Privateers advanced to upset No. 1 University of Central Arkansas 3-2 to avenge a 4-1 loss earlier in the year. UNO fell to host and No. 3 Houston Baptist University 5-0 in the finale.
Veronica Corcoran and
Rachel Kuhn went 2-1 at No. 2 as did
Kaitlyn Grice and
Jordan Schumacher at No. 3 and
Blessing Dunn and
Brianna Vega and No. 4.
Rhyan Rand and
Madison Miller posted the same record in the exhibition.
#4 NEW ORLEANS DEFEATS #5 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 5-0
A clean sweep with just one flight needing three sets saw the Privateers move on to take on top seed Central Arkansas. Rand and Miller took the exhibition 21-16, 21-16,
Maxine Walsh and
Ally Carr eased their way to a No. 5 win 21-11, 21-10 and Dunn and Vega made it 2-0 UNO with a 21-15, 21-14 win at No. 4 heading into the top flights.
At No. 2,
Veronica Corcoran and Kuhn continued to pace the way with a 21-15, 21-11 victory to clinch the match for the Silver and Blue. At No. 3, Grice and Schumacher defeated Amy Weiss and Kennedy Schelstoad 21-13, 21-16 and
Cara Sander and
Victoria Corcoran concluded with a 21-19, 18-21, 15-13 victory.
#4 NEW ORLEANS DEFEATS #1 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 3-2
The top ranked Sugar Bears were upset by the fourth-ranked Privateers in a close affair. Rand and Miller again took the exhibition 21-19, 21-18 and Dunn and Vega were victorious at No. 4, 21-17, 21-16. At No. 5, Carr and Walsh threatened, rallying from a 21-15 loss in the opening set to flip the score in No. 2 before UCA was able to escape with a split heading to the top flights.
Central Arkansas took a 2-1 lead, but the resilient Privateers knotted the match at 2-2 with Grice and Schumacher coming from behind to upend Kris Hjembo and Colene Hamilton at No. 3, 12-21, 21-14, 15-7.
Veronica Corcoran and Kuhn made it 2-0 UNO on the day heading into the final match with a similar outcome, erasing an opening set loss, 20-22, 21-12, 15-12.
#3 HOUSTON BAPTIST DEFEATS #4 NEW ORLEANS 5-0
New Orleans forced three tiebreaking sets and Sander,
Victoria Corcoran played a close top dual, 21-19, 21-17. In the exhibition, Rand and Miller opened with a 21-17 win before falling 21-18, 15-12. At No. 4, Dunn and Vega did the same, taking a 1-0 lead with a 21-18 win in the first set.
Veronica Corcoran and Kuhn rallied from a 21-16 loss to take set No. 2 22-20 and force a third.
NEXT UP
The Southland Conference Showcase continues tomorrow. The schedule will be updated and posted on
www.UNOPrivateers.com.
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