Gulf Shores, AL - After earning their spot in the Gold Bracket of the AVCA Small College Championship, Texas A&M-Kingsville would upset the #1 seeded University of Tampa 3-2. The Javelinas would go on to face Concordia University Irvine for the National Championship, but fall short to the Eagles 1-3. Leading TAMUK to be National Champion Runner-up once again, the first time since 2019, and
Kastyn Hoffman along with fellow pairs partner
Emma Daugherty were named All-Americans after the tournament was all said and done.
Sunday morning would not be the ideal weather for beach volleyball with "Feel Like" temperatures as low as 50 degrees, wind gusts as high as 20 mph, and constant rain from the start of competition till the end.
Earning the first point of competition were the Spartans winning the 4s match in two sets. Although, the 2s would answer back with
Laura Betsa and
Kalani Vasquez getting their match done in just two sets, 21-18, 21-19, tying it at one apiece. Tampa's twin sisters,and 1s pair would pull out yet another point taking the early lead 2-1 after taking their match in just two sets.
The Javelinas would continue to battle as
Presley Gardner and
Clara Presmanes-Garate would take their 5s match to a full three sets. Heading into this competition the Spartans 5s pair only allowed an opponent to score as high as 11 points, but Gardner and Presmanes-Garate would pull off two set wins, 21-15, 11-21, 15-13, to tie the match up, 2-2 coming down to the 3s once again for the Javelinas.
A back and forth battle would be the story line for the 3s court. Yet again, Daugherty and Hoffman would be the deciding point, and after a 32-30 first set win, it felt like all momentum was held in the Javelinas favor. Daugherty would score the match winning point to send the Javelinas to the National Championship Match upsetting the #1 seeded and 5-time Champion Spartans.
The Javelinas would go on to face the Concordia-Irvine Eagles in the National Championship. The Eagles would take a quick and commanding 2-0 lead over the Javelinas, making quick work of the 2s and 3s pair. The solo point for the Javelians would come from
Kate Wozniak and
Elizabeth Williams. The pair would take their match to three sets, 21-17, 11-21, 15-10, but it wouldn't be enough for the Hogs as the Eagles 5s pair would win in three sets taking the victory over the Javelinas.
The Javelinas came into the tournament as the #5 seed, but left National Champion Runner-Up taking home some hardware for the first time since 2019, when they were National Champion Runner-Ups as well.
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Texas A&M-Kingsville 3 University of Tampa 2
Tampa (Wolfe/Wolfe) def. TAMUK (
Rylan Pollard/
Liana Huesca) – 19-21, 17-21
TAMUK (Betsa/Vasquez) def. Tampa (Schrenger/Williams) – 21-18, 21-19
TAMUK (Daugherty/Hoffman) def. Tampa (Martin/Peterson) – 32-30, 15-21, 16-14
Tampa (Baynes/Duke) def. TAMUK (Williams/Wozniak) – 19-21, 17-21
TAMUK (Gardner/Presmanes-Garate) def. Tampa (Berglin/Ostrander) – 21-15, 11-21, 15-13
Texas A&M-Kingsville 1 Concordia University Irvine 3
CUI (Giusta/Rossi) def. TAMUK (Betsa/Vasquez) – 13-21, 13-21
CUI (Cline/Moore) def. TAMUK (Daugherty/Hoffman) – 11-21, 12-21
TAMUK (Williams/Wozniak) def. CUI (Kelly/Vander Veen) – 21-17, 11-21, 15-10
CUI (Hugeback/Tupea) def. TAMUK (Gardner/Presmanes-Garate) – 15-21, 21-19, 9-15
