CSUN Falls to GCU, LBSU in Saturday Tri-Dual

Grand Canyon-CSUN Final Results // Long Beach State-CSUN Final Results

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - True McCullough and Emily Sparks picked up a win in the No. 5 pair against No. 16 Long Beach State but the Matador beach volleyball team suffered a pair of defeats to No. 9 Grand Canyon and the 16th-ranked Beach in a tri-dual Saturday afternoon at the CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex.

NO. 9 GRAND CANYON 5, CSUN 0
The Matadors slipped to 9-11 on the season with a 5-0 loss to the ninth-ranked Lopes to open the tri-dual. GCU's Paula Hoffman and Allanis Navas made quick work of Lauren McMurray and Kailey Klein to open the scoring, taking a 21-7, 21-16 victory in the No. 4 pair. The Lopes went up 2-0 when Alli Hansen and Teagan DeFalco swept Lexi McLeod and Seyvion Waggoner, 21-18, 24-22 in the tight battle on the No. 2 court. The opening flight also featured a No. 6 (exhibition) contest with GCU's Alyssa Vortouni and Madison Banter edging Victoria Rogers and Abbey Sweeting by the score of 21-16, 21-16.

The Lopes wrapped up the dual match win to open the second flight when the No. 5 pair went final as Katie Sarber and Natalie Honzovicova swept McCullough and Sparks, 21-12, 21-14. Grand Canyon then completed the 5-0 sweep when Madi Relaz and Taylor Jarzombek defeated Darbi Honeycutt and Mikaela Maughan at No. 3 by the count of 21-8, 21-15 and Bella Bauman and Anaya Evans overcame a loss in the opening set to hold off CSUN's Meagan Carter and Lauren Eknoian in the No. 1 pair, 19-21, 21-9, 15-9.

NO. 16 LONG BEACH STATE 4, CSUN 1
After Grand Canyon held off Long Beach State by the score of 3-2 in the middle dual, the Beach took four of the five matches against the Matadors in the final dual of the day. CSUN (9-12) dropped all three matches in the opening flight as Long Beach picked up wins at No. 2 and No. 4 to take a 2-0 lead into the second flight. Skylar Germann and Katie Kennedy posted a 21-11, 21-17 over McLeod and Waggoner at No. 2 before Emily Mattoon and Jillian Rodriguez swept McMurray and Klein, 21-17, 21-9 at No. 4. Claire Newlander and Sophie Major took the No. 6 exhibition match over Victoria Rogers and Abbey Sweeting by the score of 21-5, 21-8.

The Beach clinched the dual with a straight-set win at No. 1 as Nicci Reinking and Tyler Spriggs topped Carter and Eknoian, 21-16, 21-17. McCullough and Sparks then got the Matadors on the board with a hard-fought three-set (21-13, 13-21, 15-10) victory over Alice Pratesi and Hanna Farnsworth in the No. 5 pair. Honeycutt and Maughan played to extra points in the first set at No. 3 before falling Kenzie Holt and Makenzie Griffin 22-20, 21-17 to give visiting Long Beach State the 4-1 win.

COACH NOELLE ROOKE SAID
"I'm proud of how the girls responded today; I thought we battled more across the board going the distance in some sets and taking a few others showed some growth in our game from one day to the next."

UP NEXT
The Matadors travel to Bakersfield for a pairs tournament this Friday (Apr. 16) at 11 a.m., before hosting the Roadrunners and Long Beach State in their final home tri-dual of the season the following weekend (Apr. 24).

#UniteTheValley

CSUN Falls to GCU, LBSU in Saturday Tri-Dual

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Players Mentioned

Meagan Carter

Lauren Eknoian

Darbi Honeycutt

Kailey Klein

Mikaela Maughan

True McCullough

Lexi McLeod

Lauren McMurray

Victoria Rogers

Emily Sparks

Abbey Sweeting

Seyvion Waggoner