NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The Vanguard beach volleyball team went 1-1 on Saturday in hot conditions, losing a tough one to host CSUN while capping off the day in a win over Cal State Los Angeles.
The Lions are now 9-4 on the season. Three of their four losses are to NCAA Division I opponents.
What Happened?: In the afternoon opener, Vanguard took on CSUN at the Matador Beach Volleyball Complex. The Matadors captured the first three matches to take the win, but the Lions won at two spots to showcase their mettle.
None of the victories were easy gets at the other three positions for the Matadors.
Kailey Klein and Victoria Rogers opened at the fours with a 21-17, 21-18 win over Hally Herder (JR/Highlands Ranch, CO) and Madison Arnold (FR/Chatsworth, CA). At the twos, Morgan Nash (JR/Tucson, AZ) and Vashti Elias Romero (JR/Redlands, CA) put their CSUN opponents on notice with a 21-19 set one triumph. However, Sevyion Waggoner and Mikaela Maughan recovered to win the final two sets by scores of 21-12 and 15-10.
The Lions had an epic clash at the fives as well where Bailey Coffin (SO/Tustin, CA) and Emilee Hall (JR/Redondo Beach, CA) nearly took the match to a third set. Ultimately, the VU duo fell to Abbey Sweeting and Jadin Williams, 21-15, 24-22.
VU picked up two points at the threes and the ones. Carly McKinney (SR/Mission Viejo, CA) and Emma Galloway (FR/Del Mar, CA) continued their stellar season together as the No. 3 pair, ekeing out a 23-21, 22-20 win over True McCullough and Darbi Honeycutt. Conley Harris (SR/Brea, CA) and Natalie Escher (SR/Redlands, CA) were the last to finish at the top spot, outlasting Lauren Eknoian and Emily Sparks, 21-18, 21-17.
In the afternoon match, the Lions won at four of the five positions to leave the San Fernando Valley with a victory in tow.
Cambria Fernandez (SR/Northridge, CA) paired with Hall at the fives, as they destroyed Beatriz Jimenez and Malia Apodaca, 21-4, 21-7.
McKinney and Galloway cruised to a 21-10, 21-9 win at the threes, while Herder and Arnold earned a workmanlike 21-11, 21-15 victory at the fours.
Nash and Elias Romero wiped away the bitter setback from the CSUN match and enjoyed a 21-16, 21-14 triumph at the twos.
Harris and Escher tried to complete the sweep at the ones, and were on their way to do so after taking a 23-21 win in the first set. But Cal State LA's Iane Henke and Ashley Dittman played extremely well and won the next two sets by 21-12, 15-10 scores.
Why Is It Important?: The Lions continue to test themselves against solid competition as they head toward the stretch run of the regular season, which features a handful of home matches against league foes.
What Was Said?: "Today was a test of how we could respond in extreme heat," said Head Coach Kris Dorn. "We're striving to get faster and more specific, and we did that today."
What's Next?: The Lions host a 9:00 a.m. match against Hope International on Wednesday, March 16.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
March 12, 2022
Northridge, Calif. (CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex)
CSUN 3, Vanguard 2
1. Conley Harris/Natalie Escher (VU) def. Lauren Eknoian/Emily Sparks (CSUN) 21-18, 21-17
2. Seyvion Waggoner/Mikaela Maughan (CSUN) def. Morgan Nash/Vashti Elias Romero (VU) 19-21, 21-12, 15-10
3. Carly McKinney/Emma Galloway (VU) def. True McCullough/Darbi Honeycutt (CSUN) 23-21, 22-20
4. Kailey Klein/Victoria Rogers (CSUN) def. Hally Herder/Madison Arnold (VU) 21-17, 21-18
5. Abbey Sweeting/Jadin Williams (CSUN) def. Bailey Coffin/Emilee Hall (VU) 21-15, 24-22
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 3, 1
Vanguard 4, Cal State LA 1
1. Iane Henke/Ashley Dittman (CSLA) def. Conley Harris/Natalie Escher (VU) 21-23, 21-12, 15-9
2. Morgan Nash/Vashti Elias Romero (VU) def. Emily Elliott/Eliza Cannon (CSLA) 21-16, 21-14
3. Carly McKinney/Emma Galloway (VU) def. Allison Linder/Jaden Grova (CSLA) 21-10, 21-9
4. Hally Herder/Madison Arnold (VU) def. Talia Niu/Ayjah Landers (CSLA) 21-11, 21-15
5. Emilee Hall/Cambria Fernandez (VU) def. Beatriz Jimenez/Malia Apodaca (CSLA) 21-4, 21-7
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 2, 1
