TUCSON, Arizona – UTEP beach volleyball split its opening day at the Arizona Invitational on Friday at Bear Down Beach, defeating San Francisco, 4-1, in the morning before falling to No. 19 Arizona, 4-1, in the afternoon dual.
With the split, the Miners (4-10) opened the weekend with a 1-1 mark against a competitive field.
DUAL 1: UTEP 4, San Francisco 1
In the morning dual, UTEP secured four straight-set victories to take down San Francisco. The pairs of Paulina Acuna/ Madison Hill, Krista Paegle/Averie Threet, Adriana Oporto/Emma Schubert, and Alexa Gonzalez Monreal/Iana Loera each delivered in straight sets to clinch the team win. Paegle and Threet set the tone early with a dominant 21-12, 21-12 win on court three, while Oporto and Schubert sealed the dual with a 21-15, 21-15 victory on court four.
San Francisco's lone point came on court two.
Results (Order of finish: 3, 2, 5, 4*, 1)
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Acuna/Hill (UTEP) def. Towne/Lonardi (USF) 21-17, 21-15
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Reeves/Lennon (USF) def. Kennedy Llewellyn/Mila Popovic (UTEP) 21-14, 21-12
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Paegle/Threet (UTEP) def. Priestly/Smith (USF) 21-12, 21-12
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Oporto/Schubert (UTEP) def. McClung/Speier (USF) 21-15, 21-15
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Monreal/Loera (UTEP) def. Ceriello/Holden (USF) 21-15, 21-17
DUAL 2: No. 19 Arizona 4, UTEP 1
In the afternoon matchup, the Miners faced a tough test against No. 19 Arizona. The Wildcats claimed four courts, but UTEP earned a point on court three as Paegle/Threet battled to a 27-25 first-set win before the match ended in a Wildcat retirement, giving the Miners the decision.
Results (Order of finish: 4, 5, 1*, 2, 3)
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Holmer/Cisneros (UA) def. Acuna/Hill (UTEP) 21-18, 21-15
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Zilliken/Walker (UA) def. Llewellyn/Popovic (UTEP) 21-19, 21-18
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Paegle/Threet (UTEP) def. O'Meara/Streit (UA) 27-25, WR
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Papaleo/Moore (UA) def. Oporto/Schubert (UTEP) 21-13, 21-19
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Winter/Boyko (UA) def. Monreal/Loera (UTEP) 21-9, 21-11
UTEP awarded the point on court three following an Arizona retirement after the first set.
UP NEXT
UTEP will continue play at the Arizona Invitational on Saturday, March 21. The Miners are set to face Conference USA opponents Missouri State at 10 a.m. MDT and Tarleton State at 1:45 p.m. MDT.
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