HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - The Lions Beach Volleyball team hit the sand for their first contest against neighboring foe Concordia University at the Beach Elite courts at the Huntington State Beach. Vanguard fells 0-5 against the Eagles with two of the flights going into the third set. The scoring of beach volleyball is two competing pairs play each other in a best two out of three format with the first two sets going to 21 points and the decisive set going to 15 tallies.
"Today was a good day", head coach Kris Dorn happily said. "Our ladies have improved so much in these first several months of the new program. We are very proud of their work ethic, their ability to push each other, and their desire to improve. Thanks for everyone who helped make this day possible. This was a historic day for Vanguard and we couldn't be happier with the student-athletes wearing the Blue and Gold."
Seed 1: 21-14, 21-23, 13-15 - CUI Wins
The Lions pair of Kayla Tinker (JR/San Clemente, CA) and Gabby Morrison (FR/Paso Robles, CA) shot out of the gate with a strong first set and held a strong position in the second set before the familiarity of the top Eagles pair took over. The duo utilized great teamwork to capitalize on the speed and accuracy of their shots.
Seed 2: 21-14, 18-21, 12-15 - CUI Wins
Kelli Dowell (JR/Redlands, CA) and Hannah Holder (SO/Irvine, CA) served well in the contest, pushing it to the decisive third set and had a chance to take the victory deep into the match. They pushed their opponent by keeping a high volume of pressure based on the locations of their shots.
Seed 3: 15-21, 12-21 - CUI Wins
Dani Erdelatz (SO/Stockton, CA) and Charity Dennis (JR/Cypress, CA) are one of the better serving pairs on the team and that showed on the sand today. They have a unique ability to spread their opponent thin by taking advantage of a plethora of shot styles and locations within the court.
Seed 4: 17-21, 12-21 - CUI Wins
Karly Cantu (SO/Spokane, WA) and Eliana Johnson (FR/Scottsdale, AZ) are a strong pair whose greatest asset is the ability to communicate on the sand and guide their partner between the lines. They posted a strong showing in the opening set before the experience of the Eagles ultimately won out.
Seed 5: 12-21, 13-21 - CUI Wins
Karli Burk (FR/Yucaipa, CA)e and Bree Belton (FR/Riverside, CA) are a combo based on their ability to play tough defense by forcing the opponent to make mistakes while attempting to score. The team's offense is ready to explode once Burke and Belton iron out the timing of their sets once the play gets deep into rallies.
Seed 6: 15-21, 11-21 - Exhibition
Angel Carroll (FR/Roy, WA) and Mackenzie Mitchell (FR/Costa Mesa, CA) faced off against the top pairing from CUI and battled incredibly hard in the first set. They served tough and hit a numerous amount of crisp shots that kept the Eagles on their heels. Offensively they took advantage of the full court and are working on utilizing the same approach defensively.
Dorn went on to say, "Wins and losses can not, and will not be our measuring stick. Those are just byproducts of small successes along the way. We are in this for the long haul, and we saw some great improvements, teamwork, and focus. We also learned a ton about our strengths & weaknesses for the future. It is clear that God is developing a legacy based on character, identity in Christ, teachability, and love."
Next Match: Saturday, February 24th against CSU Bakersfield and Loyola Marymount University at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
-GOLD PRIDE-
