AUSTIN, TX. – The No. 12 LSU Beach Volleyball team went 2-2 at the East vs. West tournament, defeating No. 9 California and No. 11 Arizona State.
The Sandy Tigs are back in Baton Rouge, March 28-29, to host the Death Volley Invitational. LSU will host UCLA, USC, Stanford, Texas, FSU, Long Beach State, and TCU—all expected to be in the AVCA Top 20.
“We took another step forward this weekend,” said head coach Russell Brock. “It was definitely a positive contribution to the resume for the season. We haven’t found all the answers yet, but we have found enough to win some big matches against some solid opponents. This was our most complete weekend yet, and we for sure will be looking to improve this week as we get back to training.”
LSU began the day with a hard-fought match that eventually ended in No. 2 Loyola Marymount’s favor, 3-2. Tatum Finlason and Yali Ashush fell on Court 4; 15-21 and 14-21, while Aubrey O’Gorman and Julia Sprecher lost Court 2; 15-21 and 10-21, to give the Lions a 2-0 lead heading into the second wave. Elle Evers and Camryn Chatellier fell on Court 3; 18-21 and 9-21, to give LMU the win. Though the Lions clinched the match first, the game was played to completion. Emily Meyer and Skylar Martin won Court 5 in three sets; 18-21, 21-15 and 15-8, while Gabi Bailey and Parker Bracken won Court 1; 21-17 and 23-21, to give LSU their two points for the match.
After a break, LSU faced No. 11 Arizona State and defeated the Sun Devils 3-2 in a match that came down to the outcome of Court 1. O’Gorman and Sprecher lost Court 2; 21-13 and 21-11, while Finlason and Martin won Court 4; 21-19 and 21-17, to have the dual score tied at one heading into the second wave of play. Meyer and Ashush fell on Court 5; 19-21 and 17-21, while Evers and Chatellier won Court 3; 21-14 and 21-15, to even the score back up at 2-2. With the match on the line, Bailey and Bracken clinched the game, winning Court 1 in three sets; 21-19, 16-21 and 15-7.
“Next weekend will be our biggest test yet and we are excited to face it in Death Volley with the best beach volleyball fans in the country,” said Brock.
LMU 3, LSU 2
- Gabi Bailey/Parker Bracken (LSU) def. Valma/Michelle Shaffer (LMU) 21-17, 23-21
- Chloe Hooker/Anna Pelloia (LMU) def. Aubrey O’Gorman/Julia Sprecher (LSU) 21-15, 21-10
- Lisa Luini/Abbey Thorup (LMU) def. Camryn Chatellier/Elle Evers (LSU) 21-18, 21-9
- Magdalena Rabitsch/Isabelle Reffel (LMU) def. Yali Ashush/Tatum Finlason (LSU) 21-15, 21-14
- Skylar Martin/Emily Meyer (LSU) def. Jaeya Brach/Taron Rosenthal (LMU) 18-21, 21-15, 15-8
LSU 3, Arizona State 2
- Gabi Bailey/Parker Bracken (LSU) def. Ava Williamson/Daniella Kensinger (ASU) 21-19, 16-21, 15-7
- Samaya Morin/Ava Kirunchyk (ASU) def. Aubrey O’Gorman/Jula Sprecher (LSU) 21-13, 21-11
- Elle Evers/Camryn Chatelier (LSU) def. Ava Haughy/Olivia McElroy (ASU) 21-14, 21-15
- Tatum Finlason/Skylar Martin (LSU) def. Anna Pemberton/Arden Besecker (ASU) 21-19, 21-17
- Tori Clement/Kendall Whitmarsh (ASU) def. Emily Meyer/Yali Ashush (LSU) 21-12, 21-13