Beach Volleyball Splits Matches To Close Out Play in Texas

Saturday, February 25

Kingsville, TX

9:00 AM

University of Utah

Corban

Beach Volleyball Splits Matches To Close Out Play in Texas

2/25/2023 2:56 PM | Beach Volleyball

Utes earn second sweep of the season.

KINGSVILLE, Texas – Utah Beach Volleyball earned another split of its matches in Texas on Saturday after narrowly falling 3-2 to Corban University before wrapping up the day's play with a sweep over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Utah finished the season-opening weekend 2-2, highlighted by an undefeated weekend for Savannah Cottam and Sonja Wessel at the fifth position.

Utah 2, Corban 3
Utah opened Saturday's competition against Corban where the Utes picked up three first sets to start the day. Sydney Jacinto and Kylie Pitzak dominated their first set 21-11, while the duo grinded out a 22-20 win in the second set on court four to earn Utah's first dual point. Savannah Cottam and Sonja Wessel continued their strong weekend on court five with a 22-20, 21-18 win to push Utah ahead 2-0 in the match.

Corban earned its first point of the match with a tight 21-18, 21-19 win on court two over Bella Vezzani and Grace Andrews. Leading 2-1, the remaining courts were headed to third sets to decide the dual winner. After winning the first set, Amaya Messier and Katie McAlister narrowly fell 21-18 to go to the third. The top duo for the Utes were tied 7-7, but Corban's top pair managed to pull out the 15-11 victory to tie the match 2-2. On court three, Marissa Koch and Abby Karich used a dominant 21-9 victory in the second set to go to a third set as well, but after trailing 12-10 late in the set, the pair couldn't overcome the deficit and dropped the set 15-12.

Utah 5, TAMUK 0
Utah looked to bounce back in the afternoon against host Texas A&M-Kingsville and did just that. Three of the five courts went to a third set in the competitive match, but it was Messier and McAlister who picked up the first dual point with a 21-15, 21-11 victory. The next straight-set victory came from Karich and Koch on court three after pulling out an incredible 33-31 win in the first set before taking the match with a 21-14 win in the second set.

Court four went to a third set after Pitzak and Jacinto couldn't keep the momentum going after winning the first set, while courts two and five did the opposite by forcing a third set after dropping their opening sets. Cottam and Wessel went on to clinch the match for Utah on court five with a 15-8 victory in the third set, before Pitzak and Jacinto followed with another point after their 15-11 win in the final set. Rounding out the sweep was Andrews and Vezzani on court two, winning 15-12 in the final set.

Utah beach volleyball will head to Los Angeles next weekend to compete in the Pac-12 South Event at Mapes Beach and Merle Norman Stadium. The Utes will open conference action with Arizona State, California, UCLA and Stanford on Saturday and Sunday, March 4-5.

Corban University 3, Utah 2
1. Megan Dennis/Avari Ridgway (CRB) def. Amaya Messier/Katie McAlister (UTAH) 15-21, 21-13, 15-11
2. Kiana Keeling/Maya Blake (CRB) def. Grace Andrews/Bella Vezzani (UTAH) 21-18, 21-19
3. Jessica McMillian/Ally Schmidt (CRB) def. Abby Karich/Marissa Koch (UTAH) 21-18, 9-21, 15-12
4. Sydney Jacinto/Kylie Pitzak (UTAH) def. Jolinn Daviscourt/Emmi Marks (CRB) 21-11, 22-20
5. Savannah Cottam/Sonja Wessel (UTAH) def. Aiyana Henderson/Kealani Ontai (CRB) 22-20, 21-18
Ext. Chloe Narancich/Azure McOmber (UTAH) def. Tyra Ching/Kalisi Latu (CRB) 21-15, 16-21, 15-8
Order of finish: Doubles (4,5,2,1,3)

Utah 5, Texas A&M-Kingsville 0
1. Amaya Messier/Katie McAlister (UTAH) def. Madelyn Wallace/Adrienne VanBrunt (TAMUK) 21-15, 21-11
2. Grace Andrews/Bella Vezzani (UTAH) def. Rylan Pollard/Rylie Anderson (TAMUK) 22-24, 21-14, 15-12
3. Abby Karich/Marissa Koch (UTAH) def. Olivia Zeigler/Grace Gettys (TAMUK) 33-31, 21-14
4. Kylie Pitzak/Sydney Jacinto (UTAH) def. Meghan Stiefer/Kalani Vasquez (TAMUK) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11
5. Savannah Cottam/Sonja Wessel (UTAH) def. Taylor McCarthy/Jackie Alanis (TAMUK) 14-21, 21-17, 15-8
Ext. Chloe Narancich/Azure McOmber (UTAH) def. Caitlin Willson/Delaney Evans (TAMUK) 21-17, 21-9
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,5,4,2)