(Phoenix, AZ) The Mt. SAC Beach Volleyball Team took to the road Friday and Saturday to compete in the Grand Canyon University Tournament.
The Mounties (9-9) arrived in Phoenix on Thursday (4/4) with a practice at GCU, preparing for their weekend of matches against 4 year schools.
The trip started by defeating NAIA Arizona Christian University (2-16), 4-1 on Friday, April 5th in a non-conference match at Victory Lane Sports Complex.
The Mounties then played against three NCAA DI teams over the next two days at GCU. In the final two matches on Friday, they fell to both No. 7-Ranked Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (17-6) and University of Alabama at Birmingham (12-11) by 5-0 scores.
On Saturday's lone morning match No. 15 Grand Canyon University (17-8) blanked the Mounties, 5-0.
In the first match of the trip against ACU, three of the four Mt. SAC wins were in straight sets, which was the 2's (Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos), 3's (Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar) and 4's (Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse). The 5's (Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez) won the first set, 21-9, lost the second, 21-10, but took the third, 19-17.
The only loss of the match was the 1's (Juliana Gomez/Samantha Neely) in three sets, 21-14, 13-21, 11-15.
Gomez/Neely have had a good season this season, compiling an 11-7 overall record.
In an exhibition match, Mt. SAC's Natalya Fajardo/Aya Al-Juraishi fell in straight sets, 17-21, 12-21.
Results:
Mt. SAC 4, Arizona Christian University 1
No. 1 – Aubri Green/Marina Samaniego (ACU) def. Juliana Gomez/Samantha Neely (Mt. SAC), 14-21, 21-13, 15-11
No. 2 – Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos (Mt. SAC) def. Maddie Lapierre/Brittany Western (ACU), 23-21, 21-17
No. 3 – Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar (Mt. SAC) def. Oriana Montoya/Issabella Martell (ACU), 23-21, 21-17
No. 4 – Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse (Mt. SAC) def. Hannah Bowen/Katie Patterson (ACU), 21-16, 21-13
No. 5 – Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez (Mt. SAC) def. Kaitlyn Vigil/Alex Douglas (ACU), 9-21, 21-10, 19-17
No. 6 – Exhibition: Anna-Ellen Graham/Marina Samaniego (ACU) def. Aya Al-Jurashi/Natalya Fajardo (Mt. SAC), 21-17, 21-12
No. 7 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 5, Mt. SAC 0
No. 1 - Crissy Jones/Tiadora Miric (CP) def. Juliana Gomez/Samantha Neely (Mt. SAC), 21-10, 21-9
No. 2 - Jayelin Lombard/Kassandra Wright (CP) def. Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos (Mt. SAC), 21-12, 21-9
No. 3 - Brayden Gruenewald/Vanessa Roscoe (CP) def. Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar (Mt. SAC), 21-14, 21-14
No. 4 - Kalee Graff/Heather Pembroke (CP) def. Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse (Mt. SAC), 21-8, 21-16
No. 5 - Sjea Anderson/Livy Lee (CP) def. Jocelyn Portillo/Brianna Valdez (Mt. SAC), 21-9, 21-10
University of Alabama at Birmingham 5, Mt. SAC 0
No. 1 - Jaelyn Keene/Tressa Buckland (UAB) def. Juliana Gomez/Samantha Neely (Mt. SAC), 21-18, 16-21, 15-9
No. 2 - Jayme Bratsberg/Kenley Adams (UAB) def. Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos (Mt. SAC) 21-17, 21-15
No. 3 - SalliAnne Napolitano/Annie Pringle (UAB) def. Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar (Mt. SAC), 21-10, 21-8
No. 4 - Brittney Munro/Brooke Stansel (UAB) def. Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse (SAC), 21-17, 21-13
No. 5 - Jenna Gathright/Emily Martinez (UAB) def. Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez (Mt. SAC), 21-19, 21-14
No. 15 Grand Canyon University 5, Mt. SAC 0
No. 1 - Mikaela Raudsepp/Teagan DeFalco (GCU) def. Juliana Gomez/Samantha Neely (Mt. SAC), 21-19, 21-13
No. 2 - Jessica Stansfield/Bella Bauman (GCU) def. Malia Carr/Shaiann Palos (Mt. SAC), 21-11, 21-6
No. 3 - Hannah Towne/Katie Hess (GCU) def. Lindsey Lane/Alysha Tullar (Mt. SAC), 21-13, 21-6
No. 4 - Jamie Walsh/Anaya Evans (GCU) def. Macy Barnes/Jessica Morse (Mt. SAC), 21-12, 21-6
No. 5 - Taylor Jarzombek/Esmee Priem (GCU) def. Jocelyn Portillo/Brianda Valdez (Mt. SAC), 21-8, 21-7
Exhibition: Jasmine Hanna/Elizabeth Kloos (GCU) def. Natalya Fajardo/Aya Al-Juraishi (Mt. SAC), 21-6, 21-8
The Mounties return home for the last regular-season match of the year and the debut of their new beach volleyball court against conference foe Rio Hondo Friday (4/12). First serve is 9:00 am.
Follow Mt. SAC Women's Volleyball on Twitter @MtSAC_BeachVB
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.