BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Vanguard beach volleyball closed the month of March splitting their day with Hope International and CSU Bakersfield, Saturday at the Bakersfield Beach Bash. The Lions outlasted former NAIA opponent HIU 3-2 and dropped the rematch with the Roadrunners 3-2, placing Vanguard at 7-12 on the season. The Royals close the year on a four-game loss streak at 7-16 and CSUB swept the Beach Bash to rise to 7-16.
What Happened? Vanguard opened their time at the Barnes Beach VB Complex with Hope International and a win at the ones for
Thea Snider and
Josephine Springer, who swept Sabrina Galassi and Bryce Swain in a competitive 21-16, 22-20. The Lions also won the second flight with
Cassie Smits Van Oyen and
Hayden Johnston besting Kyla Dothard and Cozette Zimmerman 21-14, 21-11.
The Blue and Gold had the match sealed at the threes thanks to
Avery Bennett and
Jordan Packer, with the pair of transfers taking a dominant 21-10 set one and squeezing out a 21-19 result in the second. The Royals rolled out wins in the last two pairings, starting with the Manaia Mamea and Katie Barclay win over
Jenae Moore and
Anne Mayfield 21-19, 21-14. The tightest feud came at the fives, with VU's
Gianna Pecile and
Jadyn Starling taking a narrow 21-19 win in the first set. HIU's Maci Hendry and Ashley Whittenbury fought back to a 21-16 set two win, and finished off the Lions 15-8 for a 3-2 consolation defeat.
After getting swept 5-0 earlier in the season by the Roadrunners, VU brought it to hosts in the rematch in the eventual 3-2 defeat. The No. 1 pair of Snider and Springer went to extra points for the second time on the day, topping Olivia Silacci-Jensen and Emma Neville 22-20, 23-21. CSUSB's Vivi Kaelin and Kendall Kaelin overcame Smits Van Oyen and Johnston 21-12 in the first set. VU had a 21-18 win in the second, but the Kaelin sisters took the 15-11 win in the end.
Bennett and Packer defeated Kylie Taylor and Olivia Ostler via sweep 21-16, 21-13 at the threes. The fourth and fifth flight decided the overall result, with Ella Ensign and Vianna Garcia sweeping Moore and Mayfield 21-10, 21-9. Havi Montano and Katey Milne won in straight sets (22-20, 21-17) over Starling and Pecile to secure the win for CSUSB.
What's Next? The Lions are back in Malibu against a talented DI field Saturday April 11. They'll face San Francisco at 12 p.m. and Pepperdine at 2 p.m.
