PHOENIX, Arizona – The UTEP Beach Volleyball team (12-11) wrapped up their regular season on Sunday afternoon at the Canyon Classic with a split result. The Miners started strong, defeating Central Arkansas in a hard-fought match, securing a 3-2 victory. However, they faced a formidable challenge against the No. 19 Grand Canyon team, succumbing to a 5-0 defeat.
UTEP demonstrated significant progress this season, tallying 12 wins against countable opponents, a remarkable achievement that triples last season's win total.
Match 1: UTEP 3, UCA 2
Mila Popovic and Ema Uskokovic kicked off the action, putting UTEP on the board with a hard-fought three-set win on court 4. However, UCA responded with determination, securing a three-set victory of their own on court 2, and then swiftly followed it with a sweep on court 5. With the match hanging in the balance, UTEP's top pair, Krista Paegle and Paulina Acuna, displayed their dominance by swiftly sweeping the Beach Bears, limiting them to a mere 19 total points and leveling the match at 2-2. The tension mounted as the contest's fate rested on court 3, where Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle were trailing in set two. However, they rallied impressively, ultimately clinching the match with a sweep and sealing victory for UTEP, even amidst the pressure of extra points.
Results (Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 1, 3*)
1. Paegle/Acuna (UTEP) def. Kuball/Atkinson (UCA) 21-10, 21-9
2.Spoule/Collums (UCA) def. Madison Hill/Summer McDonough (UTEP) 17-21, 27-25, 15-12
3. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) def. Linskey/Tan (UCA) 21-10, 22-20
4. Popovic/Uskokovic (UTEP) def. Weileit/Irizary (UCA) 21-12, 19-21, 15-11
5. White/Cathcart (UCA) def. Adriana Oporto/Alexis Massey (UTEP) 21-12, 21-18
Match 2: #19 GCU 5, UTEP 0
In their match against the nationally ranked Lopes, UTEP faced a tough challenge. The Lopes swept all courts except for court no. 2, where Hill and McDonough battled fiercely. Despite their efforts, the Lopes secured points on court 4, then clinched the match on court 5, and added the final two points from courts 3 and 1 to complete the sweep.
Results (Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5*, 3, 1)
1. Rowan/Dickson (GCU) def. Paegle/Acuna (UTEP) 21-10, 21-16
2. Keefe/Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Hill/McDonough (UTEP) 21-17, 15-21, 15-11
3. Garrow/Ferro (GCU) def. Martin/Ovalle (UTEP) 21-17, 21-12
4. Drake/Harris (GCU) def. Popovic/Uskokovic (UTEP) 21-13, 21-11
5. Bogle/Weintraub (GCU) def. Oporto/Massey (UTEP) 21-11, 21-14
UP NEXT
UTEP will travel to Youngsville, Louisiana, to compete in the Conference USA Championships, April 25-27.
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