Beach Volleyball Wraps Competition at GCU Tournament

Friday, April 5

Phoenix, AZ

11:00 AM

University of Utah

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Al Sermeno - KLC fotos

Beach Volleyball Wraps Competition at GCU Tournament

4/5/2019 8:07 PM | Beach Volleyball

Utes top LBCC and lose to 15th-ranked hosts and UAB

PHOENIX – The Utah beach volleyball team returned to action on Friday at the Grand Canyon Tournament where the Utes went 1-2 on the day. Utah picked up a win over Long Beach City College and dropped duals against No. 15-ranked Grand Canyon and UAB at the GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium.

Utah faced Long Beach City College in its second match of the day and fell behind early after dropping matches at the No. 4 and No. 5 pairs. Down 2-0, Utah's No. 1 pair of Dani Drews and Tawnee Luafalemana, along with the No. 2's of Kenzie Koerber and Megan Yett, recorded straight set wins to even the dual score, 2-2.

With the match on the line, Utah's No. 3 pair of Lauren Sproule and Jessica Villela earned the first set win in dramatic fashion after going extra points to get the 29-27 first-set win, but went on to drop the second set. In the decisive third set for the pair win and the team win, Sproule and Villela pulled out a dominant 15-6 win to clinch the 3-2 victory.

Utah opened the day against tournament host, No. 15-ranked GCU, and fell 5-0. Drews/Luafalemana and Sproule/Villela pushed two of GCU's top-3 pairs to three sets, but couldn't get in done at the final stage. The Utes closed out action at the GCU Tournament against UAB Friday night and fell 5-0.

Utah will travel to Tempe to compete in the Arizona State Tournament. The Utes will open action Saturday against ASU with the first serve at 12 p.m. MDT at the Pera Club in Tempe, Ariz. Utah will close out the event with matches on Sunday against Abilene Christian and No. 14-ranked Arizona.

No. 15 GCU 5, Utah 0
1. Mikaela Raudsepp/Teagan DeFalco (GCU) defeat Tawnee Luafalemana/Dani Drews (Utah) 18-21, 21-15, 15-12
2. Jessica Stansfield/Bella Bauman (GCU) defeat Kenzie Koerber/Megan Yett (Utah) 21-8, 21-19
3. Hannah Towne/Katie Hess (GCU) defeat Lauren Sproule/Jessica Villela (Utah) 15-21, 21-11, 15-7
4. Jamie Walsh/Anaya Evans (GCU) defeat Phoebe Grace/Keana Smalls (Utah) 21-11, 21-15
5. Taylor Jarzombek/Esmee Priem (GCU) defeat Kinga Windisch/Olivia Teerlink (Utah) 21-8, 21-15
Order of finish: 4, 5, 2, 3, 1

Utah 3, Long Beach City College 2
1. Dani Drews/Tawnee Luafalemana (Utah) defeat Sierra Davis/Brooklyn Mize (LBCC) 21-13, 21-12
2. Kenzie Koerber/Megan Yett (Utah) defeat Jessica Blakeman/Kylee Irwin-Paz (LBCC) 21-16, 21-16
3. Lauren Sproule/Jessica Villela (Utah) defeat Isabella Alvarez/Doris Woods (LBCC) 29-27, 18-21, 15-6
4. Kaitlyn Peterson/Elsa Woods (LBCC) defeat Phoebe Grace/Keana Smalls (Utah) 21-16, 21-19
5. Calissa Candalot/Emma Harris (LBCC) defeat Alexa VanKomen/Kinga Windisch (Utah) 7-21, 22-20, 15-7
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 3

UAB 5, Utah 0
1. Jaelyn Keene/Tressa Buckland (UAB) Tawnee Luafalemana/Dani Drews (Utah) 21-18, 23-21
2. Jayme Bratsberg/Kenley Adams (UAB) Kenzie Koerber/Megan Yett (Utah) 21-12, 21-19
3. Sallianne Napolitano/Annie Pringle (UAB) defeat Lauren Sproule/Jessica Villela (Utah) 21-14, 21-13
4. Brittney Munro/Brooke Stansel (UAB) Kinga Windisch/Keana Smalls (Utah) 21-18, 21-16
5. Jenna Gathright/Emma Andraka (UAB) defeat Alexa Van Komen/Olivia Teerlink (Utah) 21-8, 21-11
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1