Huntsville, Ala. – The LSU Beach Volleyball team fell to South Carolina Saturday morning in the CCSA Semi-Finals.
“Definitely not the way we wanted to finish this weekend,” said head coach Russell Brock. “We fought with heart, but we just got into too big a hole to dig out of. The weather made things really tough, but that’s our sport, and we just didn’t handle it quite well enough.”
LSU’s attention will turn to the NCAA Championship Selection Show tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. CT.
“What this doesn’t change is the resume that we put together this year,” said Brock. “Thankfully, it’s a full season body of work, and there are very few teams in the country who have the impressive list of quality wins that we’ve accumulated. There’s no doubt that we deserve to be in Gulf Shores next weekend to finish the season battling for a national title. It’s never comfortable to have your fate in the hands of a committee, but that’s the situation we are in now.”
Reilly Allred and Parker Bracken started off the match with a straight set win on Court 2; 21-13 and 21-11. Gabi Bailey and Ellie Shank lost Court 1; 18-21 and 12-21. Aubrey O’Gorman and Ella Larkin won Court 3; 18-21, 21-15 and 15-13. Amber Haynes and Skylar Martin lost Court 4; 12-21, 21-15 and 13-15. Emily Meyer and Yali Ashush lost Court 5; 27-29 and 15-21.
South Carolina 3, LSU 2
Skylar Allen/Riley Whitesides (South Carolina) def. Gabi Bailey/Ellie Shank (LSU), 21-18, 21-12
Reilly Allred/Parker Bracken (LSU) def. Allison Coens/Hannah Mackenhausen (South Carolina), 21-13, 21-11
Ella Larkin/Aubrey O’Gorman (LSU) def. Jolie Cranford/Julia Waugh (South Carolina), 18-21, 21-15, 15-12
Morgan Downs/Peyton Yamagata (South Carolina) def. Amber Haynes/Skylar Martin (LSU), 21-12, 15-21, 15-13
Sophie Bengoechea/VB Trost (South Carolina) def. Yali Ashush/Emily Meyer (LSU), 29-27, 21-15