GULF SHORES, Ala. – The No. 5 LSU Beach Volleyball team won both its games on Saturday at UAB’s March to May Tournament in Gulf Shores.
The Tigers started off the day with a 4-1 win over No. 13 Georgia State, a team they have now beaten twice this year. Later in the day, it was a battle with No. 7 Grand Canyon that LSU won, 4-1. With the wins, LSU has now beaten six ranked teams this season and improved to 15-0 overall.
“Obviously some huge and convincing wins today,” said head coach Russell Brock. “That was important. We need to continue to play better and today was definitely a step in the right direction. Those two teams are really good, so to be able to be in battles and pull off some wins was really important for us to understand how good we are and build our confidence.”
LSU will play three more matches on Sunday before returning to Baton Rouge. The action for the Tigers starts with No. 11 FAU at 8 a.m. CT, then LSU plays No. 15 South Carolina at 10 a.m. and will finish the weekend against No. 1 UCLA at 3 p.m.
“The reality is tomorrow is an even bigger day,” said Brock. “We have three huge matches and we’ve got to be in a position to continue to play well.”
The day started with No. 5 LSU beating No. 14 GSU, 4-1. Court 5 got the Tigers on the board first, as Sierra Caffo and Ellie Shank won 21-19 and 21-12. On Court 4, Grace Seits and Kelli Greene-Agnew lost a tough match, 21-16 and 22-20, as GSU evened the score at one.
However, Courts 1, 2 and 3 all won to help secure the victory for the Tigers. On Court 1, Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Bella Bauman won the first set, 21-17, dropped the second, 25-27, and won the third, 15-13. On Court 2, Parker Bracken and Kylie Deberg lost the first set, 21-19, but were able to battle back and win the next two, 21-13 and 15-12. On Court 3, Holly Carlton and Reilly Allred won in two sets, both by a score of 21-16.
The second match of the day pinned No. 5 LSU against No. 7 GCU, as the Tigers again came out victorious by a score of 4-1. Courts 4 and 5 both won to give the Tigers an early lead. Seits and Greene-Agnew on Court 4 bounced back from their morning loss, winning in three sets, as they won the first, 25-23, lost the second, 22-20, and won the third, 15-10. On Court 5, Caffo and Shank won, 24-22 and 21-17.
On Court 1, Rasnick-Pope and Bauman continued their successful day, winning in three sets. The duo won the first, 21-17, lost a close second, 23-21, and won the third, 15-12. The Court 2 pair of Bracken and Deberg lost their first match of the year, losing in two sets, 21-18 and 21-13. On Court 3, Carlton and Allred lost the first set, 21-18, but were able to bounce back and win the next two, 21-18 and 15-13.
No. 5 LSU def. No. 13 GEORGIA STATE: 4-1
Court 1: Bella Bauman/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU) def. Kelly Dorn/Elise Saga (GSU): 21-17, 25-27, 15-13
Court 2: Kylie Deberg/Parker Bracken (LSU) def. Yasmine Kuck/Kayla Whetstone (GSU): 19-21, 21-13, 15-12
Court 3: Holly Carlton/Reilly Allred (LSU) def. Eden Hawes/Maddy Delmonte (GSU): 21-16, 21-16
Court 4: Bella Ferary/Angel Ferary (GSU) def. Grace Seits/Kelli Green-Agnew (LSU): 21-17, 22-20
Court 5: Sierra Caffo/Ellie Shank (LSU) def. Becky Tresham/Chloee Kleespies (GSU): 21-19, 21-12
MATCH 15: No. 5 LSU vs. No. 7 GRAND CANYON: 4-1
Court 1: Bella Bauman/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU) def. Anaya Evans/Jessica Vastine (GCU): 21-17, 21-23, 15-12
Court 2: Allison Hansen/Allanis Navas (GCU) def. Kylie Deberg/Parker Bracken (LSU): 21-18, 21-13
Court 3: Holly Carlton/Reilly Allred (LSU) def. Samaya Morin/Teagan Defalco (GCU): 18-21, 21-18, 15-13
Court 4: Grace Seits/Kelli Green-Agnew (LSU) def. Abbie Hughes/Krista Rowan (GCU): 25-23, 20-22, 15-10
Court 5: Sierra Caffo/Ellie Shank (LSU) def. Cami Sanchez/ Dana Roskic (GCU): 24-22, 21-17