GULF SHORES, Ala. - The Eckerd Beach Volleyball team split a pair of contests on the opening day of the Gulf Shores Spring Hill Invitational.
The Tritons began the day defeating Austin Peay State (Tenn.) University 4-1 before dropping their second match 4-1 to Spring Hill (Ala.) College.
Eckerd breezed to straight-set wins in the No. 2, 3, and 4 spots in the day's opener.
Kaitlyn Sibson and
Madison Whiting took Eckerd's first win of the day in the No. 2 spot by scores of 21-11 in both sets.
Arielle Erillo and
Mackenzie Redner won 21-13 and 21-19, and
Savanna Cary and Abigail O'Ferrell sealed the win for the Tritons in the No. 4 spot by scores of 21-17 and 21-19.
Katie Arnette and
Keri McMahon went to a three-set thriller in the No. 5 spot. The duo won the first set, 21-13, before dropping the second, 21-19. The third set was tightly contested but Arnette and McMahon prevailed with a 17-15 win.
Rachel Cornatzer and
Stephanie Bogda got the Tritons off to a strong start against Spring Hill claiming a win in the No. 1 spot. The duo split the first two sets against Julie Vujnovich and Madie Seuzeneau taking the first, 21-14, before falling in the second, 21-10. Cornatzer and Bogda recovered to take the decisive third set, 15-11.
Whiting and Sibson battled back against Savannah Becnel and Molly Griffin in the No. 2 spot after dropping the first set, 21-19, to take the second set, 21-14, and force a third set where the Spring Hill tandem pulled off a 15-12 win.
The team of Arnette and McMahon also went to three sets but fell short in the third.
Eckerd will continue play tomorrow with two games in the Gulf Shores Spring Hill Invitational. The Tritons will face the University of Louisiana at Monroe at 8:00 AM and Huntingdon College at 11:00 AM.
Eckerd 4, Austin Peay 1
1) Ginny Gerig/Kristen Stucker (APSU) def
Stephanie Bogda/
Rachel Cornatzer (Eckerd) 21-18, 21-14
2)
Kaitlyn Sibson/
Madison Whiting (Eckerd) def Christina White/Jenna Panning (APSU) 21-11, 21-11
3)
Arielle Erillo/
Mackenzie Redner (Eckerd) def MiMi Arrington/Kaitlyn Teeter (APSU) 21-13, 21-19
4)
Savanna Cary/Abigail O'Ferrell (Eckerd) def Allie O'Reilly/Kaylee Taff (APSU) 21-17, 21-19
5)
Katie Arnette/
Keri McMahon (Eckerd) def April Adams/ Ashley Slay (APSU) 21-13, 19-21, 17-15
Ex)
Margot Balliet/
Haylee Bilbray (Eckerd) def Logan Carger/Allie Thornton 21-18, 21-9
Spring Hill 4, Eckerd 1
1)
Rachel Cornatzer/
Stephanie Bogda (Eckerd) def. Julie Vujnovich/Madie Seuzeneau (SHC) 21-14, 10-21, 15-11
2) Savannah Becnel/Molly Griffin (SHC) def.
Madison Whiting/
Kaitlyn Sibson (Eckerd) 21-19, 14-21, 15-12
3) Brittany Bilotti/Sarah Senft (SHC) def.
Mackenzie Redner/
Arielle Erillo (Eckerd) 21-17, 21-18
4) Hannah Masoner/Caroline Herrera (SHC) def.
Savanna Cary/Abigail O'Ferrell (Eckerd) 21-17, 21-12
5) Cat Milwee/Taylor Hurst (SHC) def.
Katie Arnette/
Keri McMahon (Eckerd) 21-17, 15-21, 15-5
Ex) Payton Gidney/Emily Greim (SHC) def.
Margot Balliet/
Haylee Bilbray (Eckerd) 21-16, 21-10
