Gulf Shores, AL - Coming off a hot start yesterday morning, the Javelinas kept the momentum rolling, defeating Tusculum and Palm Beach Atlantic in their Pool Play to head off to the Final Four tomorrow in the Gold Bracket of the AVCA Small College Championships. 

The Javelinas opened up day two of pool play, facing off against Tusculum University, taking a commanding 3-0 victory over the Pioneers. With a very similar outcome to yesterday's, all three wins would come in sweeps. Starting the party would be Rylan Pollard and Liana Huesca with an outstanding first set and closing it out in the second, 21-9, 21-15.

Laura Betsa and Kalani Vasquez would follow in the same footsteps, making quick work of the Pioneers' twos, 21-12, 21-10. To clinch the second win of pool play would come from Emma Daugherty and Kastyn Hoffman. That would be their second win as a pair in the tournament, 21-17, 21-8. Leading the Javelinas to sit atop Pool D, with their next opponent, Palm Beach Atlantic, sitting right behind them at 1-0.

Coming into the tournament, the Javelinas stood as the #2 seed in Pool D, right behind PBA, who were seeded first in the pool. The Hogs would wind up squeaking out a close win over PBA, going a full five sets for the first time all tournament. It wouldn't look too promising for TAMUK as they would drop pairs 2 and 5, quickly trailing the Sailfish 0-2. 

However, the tide started to turn, and Pollard and Huesca pulled out a win in a sweep, 21-17, 21-19. The Javelinas would trail 1-2 with pairs 3 and 4 entering the third set of their respective matches. Elizabeth Williams and Kate Wozniak would battle after dropping set two, to win set three and tie up the overall match to 2 apiece.

It would come down to Daugherty and Hoffman going to a third set for the first time all tournament. After dropping set one, the pair would sneak out a close set two win, forcing a set three, winner making their way to the Gold Bracket. Daugherty and Hoffman would take a quick commanding lead, not looking back, and secure the Gold Bracket finish for the Javelinas, 21-23, 21-19, 15-10. 

The Javelinas start Gold Bracket play tomorrow, April 19th, at 9:10 am. Follow Javelina Beach on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates throughout the weekend.

Texas A&M-Kingsville 3 Tusculum University 0

TAMUK (Pollard/Huesca) def. Tusculum (Vega Barrantes/Marsh) – 21-9, 21-15

TAMUK (Betsa/Vasquez) def. Tusculum (Liszewski/Smith) – 21-12, 21-10

TAMUK (Daugherty/Hoffman) def. Tusculum (Anderson/Roussel) – 21-17, 21-8


Texas A&M-Kingsville 3 Palm Beach Atlantic 2

TAMUK (Pollard/Huesca) def. PBA (Galligan/Goggin) – 21-17, 21-19

PBA (Kremer/Nadeau) def. TAMUK (Betsa/Vasquez) – 21-22, 13-21

TAMUK (Daugherty/Hoffman) def. PBA (Corbett/Ring) – 21-23, 21-19, 15-10

TAMUK (Williams/Wozniak) def. PBA (Caroline/Cox) – 21-19, 12-21, 15-10

PBA (Reynolds/Rogers) def. TAMUK (Gardner/Presmanes-Garate) – 16-21, 10-21