New Orleans Beach Eliminates Nicholls and HCU to Advance to SLC Semifinal, Jackson and Spartz Break Record

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx. - The New Orleans beach volleyball program topped both No.7 Nicholls (3-0) and No. 2 HCU (3-2) in elimination matches Saturday afternoon at Water's Edge Park to advance to tomorrow's semifinal against No. # Boise State. Seniors Alexa Spartz and Trinity Jackson broke the record for most wins in a single season in program history with a 27-7 record. The record was previously held by Senior Ania Esarte and former Privateer Lucie Pokorna at court one with a 26-4 record in the 2021-2022 season.
 

The Privateers (21-16) made easy work of the Colonels with both the fours and fives getting wins to get an early 2-0 advantage. It marked Senior Rita Zecchin and freshman Valentina Echeverri's first win of the tournament. Clinching the match was Jackson and Spartz who won in straight sets (21-12, 21-10).

Against an HCU team that had a two-year history of eliminating New Orleans from the conference tournament, the Privateers had something to prove. Off to a rough start at courts four and five, New Orleans faced a 0-2 deficit and relied solely on courts one, two, and three to seal the victory. They did not disappoint. 

Seniors Valerie Vujnovich and Hannah Volpi dominated on court three racking up a point in straight sets. Ania Esarte and Maria Ozaeta dropped the first set but came back with a vengeance to tie the match 2-2. Jackson and Spartz clinched the match at court two.
 

New Orleans will take on No. 3 Boise State in the semifinal tomorrow, April 23 at 9 a.m. CT. The winner of the match will face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the SLC championship match at 11:30 a.m. CT.

Match Score: New Orleans 3, Nicholls 0
1. Maria Ozaeta and Ania Esarte (UNO) vs. Kennedi Steele and Katie Jones (NICH) 21-11 11-13
match was unfinished
2 Alexa Spartz and Trinity Jackson (UNO) def. 
Aspen Steele and Luciana Chuong (NICH) 21-12 21-10
3 Hannah Volpi and Valerie Vujnovich (UNO) vs. McKenna Malone and Bethanie Durant (NICH) 21-14 20-10
match was unfinished
4 I de Carvalho Peixe and Serena Baumgart (UNO) def.
Alisha Wischkaemper and McKay Wilson (NICH)21-16 21-17
5 Valentina Echeverri and Rita Zecchin (UNO) def.
Taylor Heeb and Kendall Battistella (NICH) 21-16 17-21 15-11 


Match Score: New Orleans 3, HCU 2
1. Maria Ozaeta and Ania Esarte (UNO) def.
Alison Stanfill and Maddie Butters (HCU) 19-21 21-17 15-11
2 Alexa Spartz and Trinity Jackson (UNO) def. 
Kristen Kleymeyer and Lindsay Harris (HCU) 23-21 17-21 15-11
3 Hannah Volpi and Valerie Vujnovich (UNO) def.
Paige Palmer and Mary Alper (HCU) 21-19 21-10
4 Abbey Reinard and Abbey Bufkin (HCU) def.
I de Carvalho Peixe and Serena Baumgart (UNO) 21-17 21-19
5  Gabi Axelrod and Shelby O'Neal (HCU) def.def.
Valentina Echeverri and Rita Zecchin (UNO) 24-22 21-13


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