HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The eighth-ranked Vanguard beach volleyball team knocked off Golden State Athletic Conference opponents Hope International and No. 6 The Master's on Friday at the Brookhurst and PCH Courts.
The Lions defeated the Royals 3-2 and avenged a season-opening loss to the Mustangs, earning a 4-1 win.
VU's No. 1 pair of Emma Galloway and Hannah Wilmes joined the No. 2 partnership of Madi Nash and Madison Arnold to go 2-0 on the day.
The Lions are now 3-2 overall. The Royals fell to 1-4 and the Mustangs 2-3.
#8 Vanguard 3, RV Hope International 2
The Lions came back from a 2-1 deficit to grab the clinching victory at the fives.
Emily Hon and Logan Daniels went the distance to upend Phoebe Sebby and Savannah Seltzer. The VU duo took the first set 22-20 before falling in the second 21-15. But in the third, the Lions eked out a 17-15 win.
Nash and Arnold put the Lions up 1-0 with a straight sets win at the twos over Stephanie Perez and Ariel Garcia. The Royals tied it at 1-1 with a win at the fours, then took a 2-1 lead as threes pair Addie Mathas and Rachael Street overcame a first set deficit to reverse sweep Paige Cutwright and Gianna Pecile, taking the 18-21, 21-14, 15-11 triumph.
Galloway and Wilmes shrugged off a tight first set to win 21-19, 21-15 over Candice Palmer and Rachel Miller at the ones, setting up the showdown at the fives.
#8 Vanguard 4, #6 The Master's 1
After losing to The Master's in the season opener two weeks ago, the Lions handed their rival to the north a loss by the same score.
Nash and Arnold opened with a 21-14, 21-16 triumph over Zoe Yates and Faith Wada. Bailey Coffin and Kortney Hitt endured a battle at the fours, but prevailed 21-18, 20-22, 15-13 over Ashlyn Unruh and Avila Violet.
The Lions clinched the victory at the threes, where Cutright and Pecile tasted victory after the narrow setback against HIU. The VU pair took down Breanna Brooks and Isabella Rodriguez by scores of 21-16, 21-18.
Galloway and Wilmes increased the Lion lead to 4-0, wiping out a first set deficit to win 15-21, 21-19, 15-10 over Evi Yates and Annika Booker.
TMU picked up one win at the fives, with Ariana DeRafaelle and Eleana Nichus defeating Hon and Daniels 21-18, 21-17.
What Was Said?: "Today was an excellent showcase of adapting in the moment," said Head Coach Kris Dorn. "It was beautiful outside and our student-athletes capitalized on communicating through change. We can go into tomorrow with poise and purpose to continue to climb in our team IQ."
What's Next?: The Lions head to Malibu to compete in the Pepperdine Challenge. VU battles the host Waves at 9:00 a.m. before taking on Long Beach State at 11:00 a.m.
