Greeneville, Tenn. - Arizona Christian got off to a blazing hot start with two pool-play victories on the first day of the 2024 NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball Invitational. The first-time qualifying Firestorm definitely did not shy away from the big stage, as four pairs went undefeated (2-0) and only one of 10 possible points went the way of the opposition. The #8 Ave Maria Gyrenes went down first (4-1) before ACU denied #5 Webber International, the reigning Sun Conference Champion, a single point (5-0).
Four pair Sydney Shaw/Brianna Boeckman won a three-setter to set the tone in the day's first match against the Gyrenes, and five pair Amaya Brown/Emily Katzer clinched the total victory with a dominant (21-11, 21-11) two-set performance.
Shaw/Boeckman had the honor of earning the second match's first point as well against the Warriors, this time more comfortably in two sets (21-10, 21-14). After a sensational three-set winner by the twin pair Haley Brown/Riley Brown (21-17, 18-21, 15-8), the stalwart one pair Mia Scheepens/Misty McCall clinched the match in two sets. Three pair Eliana Cho/Railey Dykstra, who fell by the narrowest of margins in Match 1 (26-24, 23-21), bounced back with a come-from-behind victory and completed a 5-0 sweep of Webber International.
To cap an already special day of competition, the Sandy Birds were 4-0 in matches that went three sets and Brown/Katzer reached the 20-win mark as partners this season.
MATCH INFO
Score 1: #4 Arizona Christian 4, #8 Ave Maria 1
Score 2: #4 Arizona Christian 5, #4 Webber International 0
Order of Finish 1: 4,2,5,1,3
Order of Finish 2: 4,2,1,5,3
Location: Greeneville Beach Volleyball Complex - Greeneville, TN
Times: 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM EST
MATCH-BY-MATCH RESULTS
ACU 4, AMU 1
1. Mia Scheepens/Misty McCall (ACU) def. Ines Lopes/Alayna Metherd (AMU) 21-15, 17-21, 15-9
2. Haley Brown/Riley Brown (ACU) def. Reina Thomas/Lily Grasso (AMU) 21-16, 21-17
3. Ryan Getz/DeAnna Barrett (AMU) def. Eliana Cho/Railey Dykstra (ACU) 26-24, 23-21
4. Sydney Shaw/Brianna Boeckman (ACU) def. Hannah Jones/Beatriz Rissi 21-15, 13-21, 15-8
5. Amaya Brown/Emily Katzer (ACU) def. Abbey Grose/Paeton Hyde (AMU) 21-11, 21-11
ACU 5, WIU 0
1. Mia Scheepens/Misty McCall (ACU) def. Lily Arnold/Janna Morrissey (WIU) 21-15, 21-13
2. Haley Brown/Riley Brown (ACU) def. Nadia Reid/Kiersten Tisdale (WIU) 21-17, 18-21, 15-8
3. Eliana Cho/Railey Dykstra (ACU) def. Leyni Young/Kendall Stewart (WIU) 17-21, 21-15, 15-12
4. Sydney Shaw/Brianna Boeckman (ACU) def. Delanie Johnson/Abby Baxter (WIU) 21-10, 21-14
5. Amaya Brown/Emily Katzer (ACU) def. Vivianne Cancio/Anna Morton (WIU) 21-10, 21-19
NEXT FOR THE FIRESTORM
Arizona Christian will finish out pool play tomorrow morning with #1 Corban at 10:00 AM EST/7:00 AM MST. The Firestorm's afternoon quarterfinal matchup will be determined following the conclusion of pool play. Possible match times are 2:30 PM EST and 4:00 PM EST, since ACU will either exit Pool A at first or second. Stay up to date with ACU Beach Volleyball by following @acufirestorm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and checking out @firestorm_bvb on Instagram.
Roll Storm!
