PHOENIX, Arizona – The UTEP beach volleyball team (11-10) split the opening day of the Canyon Classic, securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Ottawa University Arizona but succumbing to nationally-ranked Grand Canyon with a 5-0 loss Saturday afternoon at the GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium. 

Match 1: UTEP 3, OUAZ 2
The competition was intense as three pairs engaged in heated battles that extended to three sets each while five sets pushed into extra points, highlighting the nail-biting nature of the matchups. Despite a rocky start with OUAZ claiming a three-set victory on court 4, UTEP swiftly responded. Madison Hill and Summer McDonough's hard-fought triumph on court 2 brought the team back into contention. The momentum shifted as the Spirit secured a 2-1 lead on court 5 with a straight-set victory. Undeterred, Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle delivered a commanding performance, sweeping their opponents on court 3. With the match hanging in the balance, all eyes turned to the top court where Krista Paegle and Paulina Acuna faced intense pressure. After claiming the first set, they faced a setback in the second but rallied courageously to secure a thrilling third-set victory, clinching the match for UTEP in dramatic fashion. 

Results (Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 3, 1*) 
1. Paegle/Acuna (UTEP) def. Hanks/Enriquez (OUAZ) 21-10, 21-23, 15-13  
2. Hill/McDonough (UTEP) def. Wilson/Andersh (OUAZ) 30-28, 20-22, 15-11 
3. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) def. Hughes/Carlson (OUAZ) 23-21, 21-16 
4. Raygoza/Marovich (OUAZ) def. Mila Popovic/Ema Uskokovic (UTEP) 9-21, 21-16, 18-16 
5. Corrales/John (OUAZ) def. Adriana Oporto/Alexis Massey (UTEP) 21-18, 21-18 

Match 2: #19 GCU 5, UTEP 0
As UTEP faced off against nationally ranked GCU, the competition reached a fever pitch as the top two courts battled fiercely, pushing the matchups into three thrilling sets each. Despite the Miners' determined efforts, the Lopes made a swift statement by sweeping court 4 and engaging in a tense duel on court 2. GCU further solidified their lead with a sweeping victory on court 5 and another on court 3, to clinch the match. However, on court 1, Paegle and Acuna refused to back down. After dropping the first set, they rallied to claim the second, forcing a decisive third set. The Miners appeared poised for victory, holding the lead until the Lopes mounted a comeback, ultimately securing the win in extra points. 

Results (Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5*, 3, 1) 
1. Rowan/Dickson (GCU) def. Paegle/Acuna (UTEP) 21-19, 17-21, 20-18 
2. Keefe/Hladynuik (GCU) def. Hill/McDonough (UTEP) 19-21, 21-18, 19-17 
3. Garrow/Ferro (GCU) def. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) 21-16, 21-18 
4. J. Drake/Harris (GCU) def. Popovic/Uskokovic (UTEP) 21-11, 21-7 
5. Hutchings/B. Drake (GCU) def. Oporto/Massey (UTEP) 21-8, 21-13 

UP NEXT  
The Miners will take on Central Arkansas at 1 p.m. MDT and #19 GCU at 3 p.m. MDT on day two of the Canyon Classic.    

 

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