KINGSVILLE, Texas — On Friday, the Texas A&M-Kingsville beach volleyball program wrapped up the Nick and Dee Herman Invitational, first besting Missouri Baptist 5-0 before falling to Utah 5-0 as Jackie Alanis and Grace Gettys were honored as a part of Senior Day. 

TAMUK vs. MBU 

The Javelinas got the day started with a sweep over the Spartans as Gettys teamed up with freshman Olivia Zeigler as the No. 3 pair to win 21-4, 21-13, and Alanis joined with freshman Taylor McCarthy as a No. 5 and picked up a 21-9, 21-12 victory.

The freshman tandem of Meghan Stiefer and Kalani Vasquez then took down their opponents on the No. 4 court, 21-8, 21-17, before the No. 2 pair of newcomer Rylan Pollard and junior Rylie Anderson claimed a 21-14, 21-13 win. The No. 1 matchup then capped off the sweep with sophomore Madelyn Wallace and junior Adrienne VanBrunt winning 21-15, 21-18. 

The victory allowed TAMUK to open their season with four consecutive wins for the fifth time in program history and the fourth straight season.

Additionally, junior Caitlin Willson and sophomore Delaney Evans bested a Mary Hardin Baylor pair 21-10, 21-6 on the extra court. 
 

TAMUK vs. Utah

Three matches reached a third and deciding set as the Javelinas fell 5-0 to Power Five opponent Utah after the Utes got on the board quickly besting the No. 1's 21-15, 21-11 and topping the No. 3's 33-31, 21-14. 

McCarthy and Alanis then bounced back from a 14-21 loss in the first set, taking the second 21-17, before falling 15-8 in the third. Steifer and Vasquez won their first frame 21-17 but lost 21-19, 15-11, resulting in a four score Utah edge.

On the final court, Pollard and Anderson narrowly dropped their first set 24-22 and picked up a 21-14 win in the second to set up another deciding set. The Utes again prevailed 15-12 to conclude the contest. 

Additionally, Willson and Evans fell in the extra match 21-17, 21-9.

The Javelinas will hit the road, traveling to Nacogdoches, Texas, for a pair of games against NCAA Division I opponents Tulane and Stephen F. Austin at a tournament hosted by the Lumberjacks.