TUCSON, Ariz.— The Colorado Mesa University beach volleyball team dropped two matches on Saturday falling to Santa Clara, 3-2 before being downed by the 18^th-ranked and host Arizona Wildcats during Wildcat Spring Challenge action here at Bear Down Beach.
 
The loss to Santa Clara (9-8) ended the Mavs' school-record matching 6-dual winning streak.  The loss to the Wildcats, their second of the season, dropped CMU to 12-7 overall.
 
The Mavericks were able to win on Courts 2 and 3 against the Broncos as Savannah Spitzer and Hahni Johnson recorded a straight-set 21-13, 21-18 win over Casey Campbell and Elena Radeff at No. 2.
 
Meanwhile, Jada Hall and Gracyn Spresser were 21-15, 15-21, 15-11 victors over Kate Kishton and Ella Duffner as the Mavericks leveled the overall score at 2, moments before Jordan Bennett and Claire Dodd were able to take a 14-21, 21-13, 15-11 come-from-behind win over CMU's Tye Wedhorn and Sabrina VanDeList in the decisive No. 4 match.
 
The Broncos (9-8) also won straight-set matches at No. 1 and No. 5 as they took the 2-0 overall lead before the Mavericks equalized.
 
Arizona, which went 4-0 during the weekend to move to 16-4 on the weekend, won all five matches in straight sets as Holly Schmidt and Macie Lachemann put up the best fight before succumbing to Alex Parkhurst and Sarah Blacker in the top-flight encounter.  Hall and Spresser were nearly as close, falling 21-16, 21-19.  They went 3-1 during the weekend as did Spitzer and Johnson.
 
The Mavericks will  now return home for the final week of the regular season, hosting Mesa Community College and Texas A&M-Kingsville in tri-duals next Friday and Saturday at the CMU Beach Courts.
 
The Mavs will then head to Tavares, Florida to try to defend their AVCA Small College Beach Championships NCAA Division II national title.

Santa Clara 3, Colorado Mesa 2
1. Julia Sangiacomo/Nicole Robison (SCU) def. Holly Schmidt/Macie Lachemann (CMU-BVB) 21-5, 21-17
2. Savannah Spitzer/Hahni Johnson (CMU-BVB) def. Casey Campbell/Elena Radeff (SCU) 21-13, 21-18
3. Jada Hall/Gracyn Spresser (CMU-BVB) def. Kate Kishton/Ella Duffner (SCU) 21-15, 15-21, 15-11
4. Jordan Bennett/Claire Doud (SCU) def. Tye Wedhorn/Sabrina VanDeList (CMU-BVB) 14-21, 21-13, 15-11
5. Alexie Epstein/Hailey Benesz (SCU) def. Savannah Ott/Hailey Peters (CMU-BVB) 21-19, 21-10

Match Notes:
Colorado Mesa 12-6
Santa Clara 9-8
Order of finish: Doubles (1,5,2,3,4)

#18 Arizona 5, Colorado Mesa 0
1. Alex Parkhurst/Sarah Blacker (ARIZ) def. Holly Schmidt/Macie Lachemann (CMU-BVB) 21-17, 21-19
2. Abby Russell/Hope Shannon (ARIZ) def. Savannah Spitzer/Hahni Johnson (CMU-BVB) 21-13, 21-15
3. Alana Rennie/Grace Cook (ARIZ) def. Jada Hall/Gracyn Spresser (CMU-BVB) 21-16, 21-19
4. Kali Uhl/Dilara Gedikoglu (ARIZ) def. Tye Wedhorn/Sabrina VanDeList (CMU-BVB) 21-17, 21-13
5. Caroline White/Miranda Erro (ARIZ) def. Savannah Ott/Sydney Leffler (CMU-BVB) 21-12, 21-13

Match Notes:
Colorado Mesa 12-7
Arizona 15-4; National ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (4,2,5,3,1)