HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The New Orleans beach volleyball program returns to the win column with victories over Southern Miss 3-2 and UCA 4-1 in day one of the USM Beach Invite in Hattiesburg Friday.
Opening the day against the host USM,
Serena Baumgart and Ivana Peixe, at court five, set the tone for the Privateers (13-11) with a gritty 22-20 first set win followed by a 21-13 win to put the first point on the board. The Golden Eagles answered by snagging a point on court four followed by their second point at court one. Senior duo
Alexa Spartz and
Trinity Jackson secured a win at court two in straight sets to tie the overall match 2-2. All eyes were on junior
Valerie Vujnovich and senior
Hannah Volpi at court three as they clinched match point in three sets to close out the win 3-2.
Against the Bears, Baumgart and Peixe's intensity mirrored that of their earlier match with a 21-14 victory in both sets to give the Privateers a 1-0 lead. UCA got its lone point at court four, while Spartz and Jackson finished shortly after to get their second win of the day and put the Privateers back in the lead. Vujnovich and Volpi battled to another three set victory to clinch the match 3-1. From court one
Ania Esarte and
Maria Ozaeta added on another point in a three-set win to close the match 4-1 and the day 2-0.
UP NEXT: New Orleans will face both opponents again tomorrow with the addition of Nicholls. The opening serve is at 9 a.m. against UCA followed by a 1 p.m. matchup against Nicholls. The Privateers close the Invitational with a 3 p.m. match against USM.
New Orleans 3, Southern Miss 2
1. Vanessa Hurnikova/Ola Chudzik (USM) def. Ania Esarte/Maria Ozaeta (UNO) 21-15, 21-8
2. Trinity Jackson/Alexa Spartz (UNO) def. Taylor Pierce/Reagan Sandlin (USM) 21-16, 21-18
3. Valerie Vujnovich/Hannah Volpi (UNO) def. Hallie Phelan/Kellie Garraway (USM) 23-21, 11-21, 15-10
4. Valeria Siakidou/Morgan Perry (USM) def. Rita Zecchin/Valentina Echeverri (UNO) 21-15, 14-21, 15-13
5. Serena Baumgart/Ivana de Carvalho Pe (UNO) def. Ashlyn Rough/Madison Cassidy (USM) 22-20, 21-13
Ext. Wiio Meinheit/Carmen Sanchez (USM) def. Renata Dykstra/Savannah Moberly (UNO) 23-21, 22-20
New Orleans 4, Central Arkansas 1
1. Ania Esarte/Maria Ozaeta (UNO) def. Ryenne Gepford/Bria Garmon (UCABVB) 16-21, 21-18, 15-12
2. Trinity Jackson/Alexa Spartz (UNO) def. Julia Oravec/Marissa Gilmore (UCABVB) 21-11, 21-17
3. Valerie Vujnovich/Hannah Volpi (UNO) def. Evelyn Griffith/Katie Atkinson (UCABVB) 24-26, 21-18, 15-13
4. Kayla Cook/Payton Sproule (UCABVB) def. Rita Zecchin/Valentina Echeverri (UNO) 21-9, 21-9
5. Serena Baumgart/Ivana de Carvalho Pe (UNO) def. Madelyn White/Anna Collums (UCABVB) 21-14, 21-14
Ext. Mary Galloway/Grace Austin (UCABVB) def. Savannah Moberly/Renata Dykstra (UNO) 21-11, 21-18
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