California State University at Northridge
Concordia-Irvine
CSUN Caps Home Season With Dual Match Split
4/14/2017 7:45:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
The Matadors opened the day with a 5-0 victory over Concordia as CSUNÂ avenged a season-opening 4-1 loss to the Eagles.
Maddie Leiphardt and Nickeisha Williams earned the Matadors' first win as they picked up their team-leading ninth win of the season defeating Kylie Breitenwischer and Maddy Deters 21-1-, 21-14 in the No. 2 match. CSUN capped the first flight of matches with wins in the exhibition match and No. 4.
After not playing in Thursday's tri-dual, Daniella Molinari and Cassidy Rosso posted a straight set exhibition win over Asia O'Neil and Julia DenBoer 21-18, 21-12. That was followed by Kristey Markle and Autumn Russell's 22-20, 21-15 win at No. 4.
The second flight of matches began with Aeryn Owens and Erin Indermill clinching the dual for CSUN with a 21-19, 21-13 win at No. 3. In the No. 5 match, Nico Stork and Nicolette Pinkney swept Cindy Tran and Katie Napier 21-19, 21-10 and the Matadors completed the dual sweep as Julie Haake and Katie Sato won for the fourth time this season at No. 1 (18-21, 21-15, 15-7).
CSUNÂ then took a three-match win streak into the afternoon dual against Arizona State which is receiving votes in this week's AVCAÂ Top 15 poll. The Matadors honored their three seniors, Haake, Leiphardt and Stork, prior to the match before pushing a third Pac-12 team to the limit this season.
After Molinari and Rosso fell in the exhibition match 21-10, 21-9, Markle and Russell put CSUN in the win column with a a 21-15, 21-15 win over Bethany Wedepohl and Natalie Braun. The win for Markle and Russell was the duo's fourth straight and sixth of the season.
Leiphardt and Williams fell to the Sun Devils 21-11, 21-19 at No. 2 and the dual headed to the second flight all square at one win apiece.
Stork and Pinkney then put the Matadors back in front with a three set (17-21, 21-17, 15-7) win in the No. 5 match before ASU evened things back up as Oluoma Okaro and Madison Berridge topped Owens and Indermill in another three-set decision (21-10, 15-21, 15-9) at No. 3.
In the third afternoon match to go the distance, Haake and Sato battled back after dropping the opening set 21-17. The CSUN pair dominated the second set 21-10 before the Sun Devil pair of Bianca Arellano and Whitney Follette held on for a 15-11 win in the decisive third set.
"The girls are playing extremely well right now," said CSUN head coach Jeff Stork. "I think we're playing very calculated and in control. The improvement I'm seeing this year as opposed to other years is noticeable."
With the Friday split, the Matadors improve to 6-10 as they head into the second annual Big West Tournament in two weeks at Huntington Beach (Apr. 28-29).
Concordia-Irvine at CSUN
Apr. 14, 2017 at Northridge, CA
(CSUN Beach Volleyball Facility)
CSUN 5, Concordia-Irvine 0
No. 1 - Julie Haake/Katie Sato (CSUN) def. Amber Rose/Kaila Ames (CUI) 18-21, 21-15, 15-7
No. 2 - Maddie Leiphardt/Nicki Williams (CSUN) def. Kylie Breitenwischer/Maddy Deters (CUI) 21-10, 21-14
No. 3 - Aeryn Owens/Erin Indermill (CSUN) def. Tristan Self/Hailey Gaines (CUI) 21-19, 21-13
No. 4 - Kristey Markle/Autumn Russell (CSUN) def. Marcela Frazzoni/Avery Keathley (CUI) def. 22-20, 21-15
No. 5 - Nico Stork/Nicolette Pinkney (CSUN) def. Cindy Tran/Katie Napier (CUI) 21-19, 21-10
EXHIBITION MATCH
Daniella Molinari/Cassidy Rosso (CSUN) def. Asia O'Neil/Julia DenBoer (CUI) 21-18, 21-12Â
Arizona State at CSUN
Apr. 14, 2017 at Northridge, CA
(CSUN Beach Volleyball Facility)
Arizona State 3, CSUN 2
No. 1 - Bianca Arellano/Whitney Follette (ASU) def. Julie Haake/Katie Sato (CSUN) 21-17, 10-21, 15-11
No. 2 - Katleyn Carballo/Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) def. Maddie Leiphardt/Nicki Williams (CSUN) 21-11, 21-19
No. 3 - Oluoma Okaro/Madison Berridge (ASU) def. Aeryn Owens/Erin Indermill (CSUN) 21-10, 15-21, 15-9
No. 4 - Kristey Markle/Autumn Russell (CSUN) def. Bethany Wedepohl/Natalie Braun (ASU) 21-15, 21-15
No. 5 - Nico Stork/Nicolette Pinkney (CSUN) def. Kwyn Johnson/Sydney Palmer (ASU) 17-21, 21-17, 15-7
EXHIBITION MATCH
Cassidy Pickrell/Mia Rivera (ASU) def. Daniella Molinari/Cassidy Rosso (CSUN) 21-10, 21-9Â
