Friday, March 31
Northridge, CA
9:00 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
5
vs
0
Saint Katherine
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
CSUN Celebrates Senior Day by Sweeping Tri-Dual
3/31/2023 6:55:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The CSUN beach volleyball team (12-11) celebrated its 2023 senior day as the Matadors swept a pair of dual matches over Saint Katherine and San Francisco Saturday afternoon at the CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex.
The Matadors honored seniors Darynne Bickers. Lauren Eknoian, Gabriela Griego and Abbey Sweeting in a ceremony prior to the match against USF.Â
CSUNÂ 5, SAINT KATHERINEÂ 0
The Matadors claimed 12 of the 13 sets in the third-ever meeting between the Matadors and Firebirds. CSUN opened the scoring in the No. 4 pair as Victoria Rogers and Layla Cederlind swept Grace Burkett and Camille Harvey, 21-13, 21-10. Emily Sparks and Mikaela Maughan then came back after dropping the second set to take a three-set win on center court in the No. 2 pair. Sparks and Maughan won for the 11th time this season, topping Lane Csimma and Cassie Salcedo, 21-13, 22-20, 15-7. Abigail Alvarez and Kinley Lindhardt then teamed up to win the exhibition (No. 6) pair over Brooke Bell and Gabby Alexander by the score of 21-6, 21-15.
CSUN clinched the win in the first final of the second flight as Sweeting and Griego improved to 13-8 on the season with a 21-14, 21-6 victory over Carrie Lynn and Abbey Ward in the No. 5 contest. The Matadors wouldn't drop a set in the final flight as Seyvion Waggoner and Mac McCarthy swept Aubrey Cardoza and Makenzie Nutting (21-11, 21-10) in the 3's and Eknoian and Tasha Mae swept Alexis Morris and Guilia Ledda (21-12, 21-12) in the 1's on center court giving the Matadors their fifth 5-0 sweep of the season.
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CSUN 5, SAN FRANCISCOÂ 0
In CSUN's final dual of the day, two of the five matches went three sets but the Matadors would claim their second 5-0 win on the day. Rogers and Cederlind got CSUN off to a good start in the No. 4 pair, posting a dominating 21-5, 21-14 victory over USF's Jolie Gutierrez and Anna Petrova. Sparks and Maughan were forced to three sets for the second match in a row but would hold off Branson Lennon and Claire Crijns, 21-18, 19-21, 15-9 in the 2's to make it 2-0 CSUN.
Sweeting and Griego clinched the win in the 5's as the CSUN duo won for the 14th time this season after sweeping Sophia Soloman and Isadora Nicolai, 21-14, 21-11. Waggoner and McCarthy then also won by sweep (21-17, 21-16) over Francesa Stanchus and Rainie Stevens in the No. 3 pair before Eknoian and Mae capped a successful day with a three-set (19-21, 21-16, 15-11) win over Letizia Aquillino and McKenna Towne in the No. 1 pair.
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COACH ARI HOMAYUNÂ SAID
"It felt good to get some wins after a tough weekend in San Luis Obispo. We've been dealing with a lot of adversity lately and I'm proud of these girls for being tough. Even more awesome that our seniors got some wins today. They have all contributed and done so much for this program, and it's been such a pleasure working with them this past year. Looking forward to tomorrow in Irvine."
UP NEXT
CSUNÂ travels to Irvine on Saturday to take on Saint Katherine and Concordia Irvine at Great Park. The Matadors meet USK at noon and CUI at 2 p.m.
CSUNÂ 5, SAINT KATHERINE 0
#1 - Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) def. Morris/Ledda (USK) – 21-12, 21-12
#2 - Sparks/Maughan (CSUN) def. Csimma/Salcido (USK) – 21-13, 20-22, 15-7
#3 - Waggoner/McCarthy (CSUN) def. Cardoza/Nutting (USK), 21-11, 21-10
#4 - Rogers/Cederlind (CSUN) def. Burkett/Harvey (USK) – 21-13, 21-10
#5 - Sweeting/Griego (CSUN) def. Lynn/Ward (USK) – 21-14, 21-6
Exh. - Alvarez/Lindhardt (CSUN) def. Bell/Alexander (USK) – 21-6, 21-15Â
CSUN 5, SAN FRANCISCO 0
#1 - Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) def. Aquillino/Towne (USF) – 19-21, 21-16, 15-11
#2 - Sparks/Maughan (CSUN) def. Lennon/Cijns (USF)  – 21-18, 19-21, 15-9
#3 - Waggoner/McCarthy (CSUN) def. Stanchus/Stevens (USF) – 21-17, 21-16
#4 - McCullough/Griego (CSUN) def. Gutierrez/Petrova (USF) – 21-4, 21-14
#5 - Sweeting/Alvarez (CSUN) def. Soloman/Nicolai (USF) – 21-14, 21-11
#GoMatadors
The Matadors honored seniors Darynne Bickers. Lauren Eknoian, Gabriela Griego and Abbey Sweeting in a ceremony prior to the match against USF.Â
CSUNÂ 5, SAINT KATHERINEÂ 0
The Matadors claimed 12 of the 13 sets in the third-ever meeting between the Matadors and Firebirds. CSUN opened the scoring in the No. 4 pair as Victoria Rogers and Layla Cederlind swept Grace Burkett and Camille Harvey, 21-13, 21-10. Emily Sparks and Mikaela Maughan then came back after dropping the second set to take a three-set win on center court in the No. 2 pair. Sparks and Maughan won for the 11th time this season, topping Lane Csimma and Cassie Salcedo, 21-13, 22-20, 15-7. Abigail Alvarez and Kinley Lindhardt then teamed up to win the exhibition (No. 6) pair over Brooke Bell and Gabby Alexander by the score of 21-6, 21-15.
CSUN clinched the win in the first final of the second flight as Sweeting and Griego improved to 13-8 on the season with a 21-14, 21-6 victory over Carrie Lynn and Abbey Ward in the No. 5 contest. The Matadors wouldn't drop a set in the final flight as Seyvion Waggoner and Mac McCarthy swept Aubrey Cardoza and Makenzie Nutting (21-11, 21-10) in the 3's and Eknoian and Tasha Mae swept Alexis Morris and Guilia Ledda (21-12, 21-12) in the 1's on center court giving the Matadors their fifth 5-0 sweep of the season.
Â
CSUN 5, SAN FRANCISCOÂ 0
In CSUN's final dual of the day, two of the five matches went three sets but the Matadors would claim their second 5-0 win on the day. Rogers and Cederlind got CSUN off to a good start in the No. 4 pair, posting a dominating 21-5, 21-14 victory over USF's Jolie Gutierrez and Anna Petrova. Sparks and Maughan were forced to three sets for the second match in a row but would hold off Branson Lennon and Claire Crijns, 21-18, 19-21, 15-9 in the 2's to make it 2-0 CSUN.
Sweeting and Griego clinched the win in the 5's as the CSUN duo won for the 14th time this season after sweeping Sophia Soloman and Isadora Nicolai, 21-14, 21-11. Waggoner and McCarthy then also won by sweep (21-17, 21-16) over Francesa Stanchus and Rainie Stevens in the No. 3 pair before Eknoian and Mae capped a successful day with a three-set (19-21, 21-16, 15-11) win over Letizia Aquillino and McKenna Towne in the No. 1 pair.
Â
COACH ARI HOMAYUNÂ SAID
"It felt good to get some wins after a tough weekend in San Luis Obispo. We've been dealing with a lot of adversity lately and I'm proud of these girls for being tough. Even more awesome that our seniors got some wins today. They have all contributed and done so much for this program, and it's been such a pleasure working with them this past year. Looking forward to tomorrow in Irvine."
UP NEXT
CSUNÂ travels to Irvine on Saturday to take on Saint Katherine and Concordia Irvine at Great Park. The Matadors meet USK at noon and CUI at 2 p.m.
CSUNÂ 5, SAINT KATHERINE 0
#1 - Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) def. Morris/Ledda (USK) – 21-12, 21-12
#2 - Sparks/Maughan (CSUN) def. Csimma/Salcido (USK) – 21-13, 20-22, 15-7
#3 - Waggoner/McCarthy (CSUN) def. Cardoza/Nutting (USK), 21-11, 21-10
#4 - Rogers/Cederlind (CSUN) def. Burkett/Harvey (USK) – 21-13, 21-10
#5 - Sweeting/Griego (CSUN) def. Lynn/Ward (USK) – 21-14, 21-6
Exh. - Alvarez/Lindhardt (CSUN) def. Bell/Alexander (USK) – 21-6, 21-15Â
CSUN 5, SAN FRANCISCO 0
#1 - Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) def. Aquillino/Towne (USF) – 19-21, 21-16, 15-11
#2 - Sparks/Maughan (CSUN) def. Lennon/Cijns (USF)  – 21-18, 19-21, 15-9
#3 - Waggoner/McCarthy (CSUN) def. Stanchus/Stevens (USF) – 21-17, 21-16
#4 - McCullough/Griego (CSUN) def. Gutierrez/Petrova (USF) – 21-4, 21-14
#5 - Sweeting/Alvarez (CSUN) def. Soloman/Nicolai (USF) – 21-14, 21-11
#GoMatadors
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