TAVARES, Fla. – After a 5-0 victory over the Colorado Mesa Mavericks in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Small College Beach Championship quarterfinals, the Texas A&M-Kingsville beach volleyball team was dealt the narrowest of defeats by the Tampa Spartans in the National Semifinal, 3-2, on Monday afternoon at the Hickory Point Beach Sand Volleyball Complex in Tavares, Fla.
TAMUK's win and loss on the tournament's final day puts their final record at 14-14 in 2021.
"I'm really proud of the fight our girls showed," said coach Tanya Allen. "Our kids definitely stepped up and played their hearts out and competed against one of the top teams in the country at a very high level. It's unfortunate that we didn't end up on the winning side, but I couldn't be more proud of what we did, the performance we had and how tough we showed that we can be."
TAMUK vs. Colorado Mesa
In the quarters, the fourth-seeded Javs made short work of fifth-seeded Colorado Mesa, only dropping a single set on their way to a sweep. TAMUK's first two points came courtesy of seniors Debra Rogers (Tulsa, Okla.) and Shelby Williams (San Antonio, Texas) and freshmen Emily North (Red Oak, Texas) and Rylie Anderson (Justin, Texas). Rogers and Williams breezed their way to a 21-12, 21-7 triumph in the second flight, while North and Anderson locked down the No. 4 match 21-14, 21-12.
Junior Macy Berg (San Antonio, Texas) and freshman Adrienne Van Brunt (Corpus Christi, Texas) owned the fifth flight, 21-16, 21-11 and the No. 3 contest went to junior Tenley Housler (Bulverde, Texas) and freshman Macie Satterwhite (Callisburg, Texas), 21-14, 21-17. At No. 1, senior Olivia Nicholson (North Platte, Neb.) and sophomore Roxanne Morris (Goliad, Texas) were pushed to a third set, but they completely controlled the final frame to complete the sweep, 21-11, 14-21, 15-8.
TAMUK vs. Tampa
The Javelinas were forced come from behind after the Spartans won the first game on four of five courts and later went up 2-0 by winning the fourth and fifth flights. Rogers and Williams got the Javs on the board by fighting their way to a 21-19, 21-19 win in the second match and Housler and Satterwhite's come-from-behind triumph at No. 3, 19-21, 21-18, 15-9 evened the score.
The tiebreaker was the first flight, which also went to a third frame and was back-and-forth whole way. After the score was tied at 12, four more ties ensued before the Spartans won the last two rallies to advance, 21-18, 19-21, 18-16.
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