CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The UTEP beach volleyball team (10-9) secured impressive victories against UT Martin and put up a fierce fight against Texas at the Islanders Classic Saturday morning. The dynamic duo of Madison Hill and Summer McDonough, along with the resilient pair of Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle, each went 2-0, contributing significantly to UTEP's performance. Despite a commanding 4-1 win over UT Martin, the Miners faced a tough challenge against Texas, narrowly succumbing to a final score of 3-2 at Water's Edge Park.
Match 1: UTEP 4, UT Martin 1
After suffering a 4-1 defeat to UT Martin earlier in the season, UTEP sought redemption and found it in a commanding 4-1 victory in their rematch today. Mila Popovic and Ema Uskokovic set the tone by swiftly putting UTEP on the scoreboard with a convincing sweep on court No. 4. Building on this momentum, Madison Hill and Summer McDonough secured a hard-fought three-set triumph on court No. 2, extending UTEP's lead to 2-0. Despite a resilient effort from UT Martin's No. 5 pair, who managed to claim a three-set victory over Adriana Oporto and Alexis Massey, UTEP remained steadfast. Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle sealed the deal with a gritty three-set win on court No. 3, clinching the match for UTEP. The victory was solidified by Krista Paegle and Paulina Acuna's impressive performance on court No. 1, where they secured a crucial three-set win, ultimately securing UTEP's triumphant 4-1 win and avenging their earlier loss to UT Martin.
Results (Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 3*, 1)
1. Paegle/Acuna (UTEP) def. Mott/Vallee (UTM) 19-21, 21-18, 16-14
2. McDonough/Hill (UTEP) def. Okeefe/Eckhardt (UTM) 19-21, 21-16, 15-13
3. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) def. Vaughn/Rednour (UTM) 18-21, 28-26, 15-6
4. Uskokovic/Popovic (UTEP) def. Phillips/Paulino (UTM) 21-16, 21-18
5. Carrell/McGee (UTM) def. Massey/Oporto (UTEP) 21-14, 22-24, 15-12
Match 2: Texas 3, UTEP 2
In a tightly contested match against the Longhorns, UTEP displayed resilience despite narrowly falling short 3-2 to Texas. The Longhorns secured the first point of the match on court No. 1. However, Martin and Ovalle rallied to even the score with a hard-fought three-set victory on court No. 3. Momentum swung in UTEP's favor as Hill and McDonough replicated their teammates' success, claiming a crucial three-set win on court No. 2 and granting UTEP a 2-1 advantage. Despite the Miners' efforts, Texas' No. 4 pair fought back, knotting the match in three sets. Ultimately, the outcome hinged on court No. 5, where Texas narrowly edged out the Miners by a four-point margin, clinching the match.
Results (Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 4, 5*)
1. Hashman/Robertson (Texas) def. Acuna/Paegle (UTEP) 21-16, 21-18
2. Hill/McDonough (UTEP) def. Butler/Kahahawai (Texas) 25-23, 13-21, 15-8
3. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) def. Ames/Ogden (Texas) 21-17, 17-21, 15-10
4. Patton/Wright (Texas) def. Popovic/Uskokovic (UTEP) 18-21, 21-19, 15-9
5. Swindle/Wenaas (Texas) def. Massey/Oporto (UTEP) 22-20, 21-19
UP NEXT
The Miners are back in action April 6-7 as they take on Grand Canyon and Central Arkansas in Phoenix, Ariz.
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