The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
South Carolina
UAB Falls In Two Sand Matches Sunday
3/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The UAB sand volleyball team dropped two matches on Sunday to conclude the South Carolina Tournament in Columbia, S.C. The Blazers finished the weekend 1-3.
UAB (2-6) opened the day against Tulane in its third match of the weekend. The Blazers dropped the match, 4-1.
The lone win came at the No. 4 position from seniors Rachel Fairbanks and Sara Rishell. The duo combined to top Christina McAfee and Sarah Strasner, 21-18, 21-16 in their first match at the four spot.
Seniors Kiriana Hirini and Bethanie Thomas dropped the first set, 21-14. The duo fought hard in the second but was edged by Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner, 24-22. Seniors Leslie Ekpe and Ally Slaughter fell to Grace Weaver and Hannah Holmes, 21-10, 21-17.
Freshmen Anna-Mae Messisco and Gabbi Moreno lost to Madeline Mertz and Lan Nguyen, 21-14, 21-5. The final pair of Becca Howard and Avei Logoleo lost to Miah Diirell and Annie Shurtz, 21-18, 21-16.
In the second match of the day, UAB faced tournament-host South Carolina. The Gamecocks won their second match over the Blazers this season, 4-1. Three matches went to a tie-breaking third set. UAB's win came at the No. 1 position from Hirini and Thomas, who combined to defeat Maddie Frome and Julia Mannisto, 21-10, 21-15.
The match at the No. 2 spot came down three sets as Ekpe and Slaughter won the first set, 22-20, over Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent. However, South Carolina fought back to win the next two, 21-15, 15-8, to take the win. Messisco and Moreno fell in straight-sets to Jade Vitt and Sarah Blomgren, 21-8, 21-15.
Fairbanks and Rishell came close to their second win on the day at the No.4 spot. The duo lost the first set, 21-18, but tied the match at 1-1 with a 21-18 win in the second set. The final set was decided by just two points, but South Carolina held on for a 15-13 win to clinch the match.
At the No. 5 position, Howard and Logoleo won the first set, 21-19, but South Carolina's Koko Atoa-Williams and Allie Monserez won two-straight to take the match. Freshman Haley Jared and sophomore Emma Schroer fell in exhibition, 21-10, 21-16.
UAB will return home to host the Blazer Beach Duals Tournament. The Blazers will host LSU, New Orleans, Louisiana-Monroe and Spring Hill on Saturday and Sunday.
Results
Tulane 4, UAB 1
No. 1: Juric/Wegner (TU) def. Hirini/Thomas (UAB), 21-14, 24-22
No. 2: Weaver/Holmes (TU) def. Ekpe Slaughter (UAB), 21-10, 21-17
No. 3: Mertz/Nguyen (TU) def. MEssisco/Moreno (UAB), 21-14, 21-5
No. 4: Fairbanks/Rishell (UAB) def. McAfee/Strasner (TU), 21-18, 21-16
No. 5: Diirell/Shurtz (TU) def. Howard/Logoleo (UAB), 21-18, 21-16
South Carolina 4, UAB 1
No. 1: Thomas/Hirini (UAB) def. Frome/Mannisto (USC), 21-10, 21-15
No. 2: Wheeler/Kent (USC) def. Ekpe/Slaughter (UAB), 20-22, 21-15, 15-8
No. 3: Vitt/Blomgren (USC) def. Messisco/Moreno (UAB), 21-8, 21-15
No. 4: Hayes/Tendrich (USC) def. Fairbanks/Rishell (UAB), 21-18, 18-21, 15-13
No. 5: Atoa-Williams/Monserez (USC) def. Howard/Logoleo, 19-21, 21-15, 15-9
Exhibition: Neuenfeldt/Darby (USC) def. Jared/Schroer (UAB), 21-10, 21-16
