Utah Beach Volleyball Splits Matches on Friday

Friday, April 20

Tucson, AZ

3:00 PM

University of Utah

Benedictine University at Mesa

4/20/2018 9:43 PM | Beach Volleyball

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Utah beach volleyball team (3-10) split its pair of matches on Friday at Arizona's Bear Down Bash, which is being held at the Arizona Beach Volleyball Courts in Tucson, Ariz.

Utah opened action against Benedictine Mesa (9-10) where the Utes picked up the match win after sweeping the Redhawks. Dani Barton and Adora Anae remained in the No. 1 spot for Utah, while Lauga Gauta and Alexa Van Komen remained partners in the No. 5 pairing. The Utes switched partners in positions two, three, and four, and it proved to work out as all five pairs recorded wins in straight sets.

The Utes took on tournament host, No. 14-ranked Arizona (19-10), on Friday evening and fell 3-2. Utah dropped the first two matches in the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in straight sets. Brianna Doehrmann and Berkeley Oblad made up the No. 4 pair for Utah, while Gauta teamed up with Lauren Sproule in the No. 5 position.

The duos of Barton/Anae, Bailey Choy/Tawnee Luafalemana, and Melissa Powell/Kenzie Koerber all took the matches to three sets to try to pick up a win on the road. Choy and Luafalemana came up just short in the third set and the Utes would fall 3-2 to the Wildcats.

After winning both matches on the day, Barton and Anae picked up their sixth-straight win as a pair.

Utah will close out this weekend's play Saturday morning at 11 a.m. MT when the Utes take on New Mexico. The match between the Utes and New Mexico will be held at the Arizona Beach Volleyball Courts.

Utah 5, Benedictine Mesa 0
1. Dani Barton/Adora Anae (Utah) def. Jackie Woods/Kat McCullough (BEN), 21-13, 21-6
2. Tawnee Luafalemana/Bailey Choy (Utah) def. Anokina Mirzapour/Kassandra Renteria (BEN), 21-12, 21-14
3. Melissa Powell/Kenzie Koerber (Utah) def. Sydney Nelson/Caitlan Sammons (BEN) 21-12, 21-9
4. Berkeley Oblad/Brianna Doehrmann (Utah) def. Megan Block/Dani Burke (BEN) 21-9, 21-17
5. Lauga Gauta/Alexa Van Komen (Utah) def. Hayden Boucher/Benesia Rodriguez (BEN) 21-11, 21-18

#14 Arizona 3, Utah 2
1. Dani Barton/Adora Anae (Utah) def. Natalie Anselmo/Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ), 17-21, 21-17, 15-12
2. O. Hallaran/Kacey Nady (ARIZ) def. Bailey Choy/Tawnee Luafalemana (Utah), 21-13, 19-21, 15-12
3. Melissa Powell/Kenzie Koerber (Utah) def. Hailey Devlin/Stephany Purdue (ARIZ), 13-21, 21-19, 15-9
4. Brooke Burling/Jonny Baham (ARIZ) def. Berkeley Oblad/Brianna Doehrmann (Utah), 21-12, 21-14
5. Caroline Cordes/Makenna Martin (ARIZ) def. Lauga Gauta/Lauren Sproule (Utah), 21-15, 21-6