CHARLESTON, S.C. – In a pair of contests that had multiple matches go to a third set, the Texas A&M-Kingsville beach volleyball team ended up on the short end of a pair of close losses, first to the Tusculum Pioneers, 3-2, followed by a 4-1 defeat to the College of Charleston Cougars on Sunday on the final day of the C of C Beach Blast at the Creekside Tennis and Swim Complex in Charleston, S.C.
The Javelinas now have a record of 11-8.
TAMUK vs. Tusculum
The Javs were the first team on the board against the Pioneers, thanks to sophomore Grace Gettys (New Braunfels, Texas) and senior Christina Gragasin (Celina, Texas), who won the fifth flight, 21-19, 21-13 and senior Kapri Pelle (Auburn, Calif.) and sophomore Jackie Alanis (McAllen, Texas) came out on top at No. 6, 21-10, 21-16.
TU evened the match by winning the fourth flight and also took the second match, while sophomore Rylie Anderson (Justin, Texas) and freshman Madelyn Wallace (La Vernia, Texas) kept TAMUK level by collecting the No. 3 contest, 21-16, 21-15. Unfortunately for the Blue and Gold, the Pioneers pulled out the No. 1 match in comeback fashion, 15-21, 21-18, 15-11.
TAMUK vs. College of Charleston
Each of the final three matches between the Javelinas and the Cougars went to a decisive third set, but C of C got out of the blocks first, securing the fourth flight, 21-17, 21-14, and the fifth, 21-18, 21-15. The sixth flight once again went to Alanis and Pelle, 21-15, 22-20.
Housler and Satterwhite fought back after dropping the first frame to get the Javs on the board with a 15-21, 22-20, 15-13 decision. Ahrens and van Brunt at No. 2 and Wallace and Anderson at No. 3 also lost the opening stanza, but scrapped back to take the second only for the Cougars to win the third set in both flights.
The next stop for the Javelinas is the Southern Miss Beach Invitational, which will start on Friday with matches against Spring Hill College and Nichols State. To stay current with everything related to Javelina Beach Volleyball all year long, follow @JavelinaBeach on Twitter and @javelinasports and @JavelinaBeach on Instagram, like Javelina Sports on Facebook and visit Javelinasports.com. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network sponsored by Mendoza's Pharmacy.
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