ABILENE – A last-minute scheduling change provided Abilene Christian beach volleyball with the program's first victory during their two-day stay at the Grand Canyon Invitational as the Wildcats avenged an earlier-season loss to Benedictine University with a 4-1 triumph.
The Wildcats' (1-7) initial schedule for Phoenix was composed of three matches vs. New Mexico, No. 12 Grand Canyon and Grossmont, but added a rematch vs. Benedictine to their slate after the Redhawks' original opponent dropped out.
ACU nearly defeated the Redhawks two weeks earlier at Arizona's Cactus Classic, losing 3-2, but this time the Wildcats held on to a 4-1 victory thanks to pair of three-set wins from their No. 4 and 5 combinations in addition to straight-set triumphs at No. 1 and 3.
Kendall Bosse and
Jacey Smith won their third match of the spring at the top position, beating Jackie Woods and Kat McCullough, 21-19, 21-18, while at No. 3,
Katelyn Mueller and
Eighmy Dobbins, defeated Sydney Nelson and Hayden Boucher, 21-16, 21-15.
The Mueller and Dobbins tandem also would earn ACU's lone point in a 4-1 loss to the Lobos, and in the Wildcats' 4-1 loss to Grossmont, ACU's winning team was
Brooke Riley and
Lauren Walker. Riley and Walker have two wins together on the season.
The Wildcats' three-set wins vs. Benedictine were posted by the No. 4 team of
Amy Weiss and Mackenzie Kesler and the No. 5 duo of
Lexie Rawls and
Kennedy Shelstead. Weiss and Kesler defeated Megan Block and Dani Burke, 21-16, 17-21, 15-11, and Rawls and Shelstead rallied from a set down to beat Araih Evans and Destiny Ramirez, 13-21, 21-17, 15-11.
"The girls are working very independently without us being able to coach from the sideline," said assistant beach volleyball coach
Seth Alstrom, "so they're problem solving with their partners to fix things they are struggling with.
"But every time that we play we get better, and getting these opportunities to play against some very strong teams like New Mexico and Grand Canyon provides a huge the learning curve."
Beach volleyball is off from competition until the weekend of March 30-31 when it visits Albuquerque, N.M. for matches vs. the Lobos, Arizona State and Colorado Mesa.
Abilene Christian 4, Benedictine 1
GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium | Friday, March 9
1 – Kendall Bosse and Jacey Smith (ACU) def. Jackie Woods and Kat McCullough (BEN), 21-19, 21-18
2 – Anokina Mirzapour Mirzapour and Kassandra Renteria (BEN) def.
Brooke Riley and
Lauren Walker (ACU), 21-19, 21-13
3 – Katelyn Mueller and Eighmy Dobbins (ACU) def. Sydney Nelson and Hayden Boucher (BEN), 21-16, 21-15
4 – Amy Weiss and Mackenzie Kesler (ACU) def. Megan Block and Dani Burke (BEN), 21-16, 17-21, 15-11
5 – Lexie Rawls and Kennedy Shelstead(ACU) def. Araih Evans and Destiny Ramirez (BEN), 13-21, 21-17, 15-11
RV New Mexico 4, Abilene Christian 1
GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium | Friday, March 9
1 – Erin Martin and Maddie Irwin (UNM) def.
Kendall Bosse and
Jacey Smith (ACU), 21-6, 21-8
2 – Eastyn Baleto and Chloe Crappell (UNM) def.
Brooke Riley and
Lauren Walker (ACU), 21-17, 22-20
3 – Eighty Dobbins and Katelyn Mueller (ACU) def. Yasmin Tan and Mercedes Pacheco (UNM), 21-12, 21-12
4 – Emily Menninger and Kayla Long (UNM) def.
Lexie Rawls and
Kennedy Shelstead (ACU), 24-22, 21-9
5 – Carly Beddingfield and Abbey Willison (UNM) def. Makenzie Kelser and
Amy Weiss (ACU), 21-10, 21-1
No. 12 Grand Canyon 5, Abilene Christian 0
GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium | Saturday, March 10
1 – Molly Turner and Kelli Iverson (GCU) def.
Kendall Bosse and
Jacey Smith (ACU), 21-12, 21-12
2 – Jessica Clark and Olivia Unnasch (GCU) def.
Brooke Riley and
Lauren Walker (ACU), 21-17, 21-12
3 – Madi Relaz and Hannah Towne (GCU) def.
Katelyn Mueller and
Eighmy Dobbins (ACU), 21-8, 21-9
4 – Taylor Jarzombek and Bella Bauman (GCU) def.
Amy Weiss and Mackenzie Kesler (ACU), 21-9, 21-13
5 – Jamie Walsh and Emily Reinking (GCU) def.
Lexie Rawls and
Kennedy Shelstead (ACU), 21-9, 21-10
Grossmont 4, Abilene Christian 1
GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium | Saturday, March 10
1 – Jordan and Marshall (GC) def.
Kendall Bosse and
Jacey Smith (ACU), 25-23, 24-21
2 – Brooke Riley and Lauren Walker (ACU) def. Barrameda and Faa'agi (GC), 21-14, 22-20
3 – Elizonda / Tam (GC) def.
Katelyn Mueller and
Eighmy Dobbins (ACU), 21-15, 22-20
4 – Lopez and Goycoochea (GC) def.
Amy Weiss and Mackenzie Kesler, 29-27, 21-18
5 – Sakasegawa and Orbita (GC) def.
Lexie Rawls and
Kennedy Shelstead (ACU), 13-21, 21-17, 15-11
