SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.— Sabrina VanDeList became Colorado Mesa University's all-time winningest player as the Maverick beach volleyball squad swept the NAIA's top-rated team during a Tuesday doubleheader sweep here at Scottsdale Ranch Park.
The Mavericks won all five matches and dropped just one set in their 5-0 win over the host Ottawa University of Arizona Spirit, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA. The Mavs were then even more dominant in another 5-0 win over the Park University Gilbert Buccaneers, who were receiving votes in the latest edition of the NAIA Beach Volleyball Coaches' Top 10 Rating.
CMU is now 4-2 on the young season and has won four straight duals.
VanDeList, who was playing with partner
Cedar Bellows in the No. 5 spot of the Mavs' lineup, claimed a 21-17, 21-14 over Ottawa's Sam Baer and Savannah Marchese to match the record. The senior out of Severance, Colorado and Bellows, a graduate newcomer to the Maverick program, then dispatched of Park Gilbert's Avery Turk and Eliza Pearson by a 21-7, 21-13 margin. That was VanDeList's 49
th career victory, pushing her one past former teammate
Holly Schmidt's career total of 48.
Against OUAZ, which fell to 8-3 as a team heading into Tuesday afternoon match against Park, the Mavericks won 10 of the 11 total sets, claiming a thrilling 3-set win at No. 2 while winning in straight sets on Courts 1, 3, 4 and 5.
The closest set against Park Gilbert (2-8) was 21-14 as the Mavs surrendered just an average of 10.6 points per set to their Buccaneer counterparts.
Hahni Johnson and
Amanda Ollinger, who are now a perfect 6-0 this spring in the top flight, won 21-9, 21-9 over OUAZ's Diana Enriquez and Summer Hanks and then defeated Railey Druxman and Daisy Moates of Park, by a 21-12, 21-8 scoreline. Johnson now has 43 career victories to rank fifth in CMU history.
After outlasting their Spirit foes Olivia Andersh and Mattea Wilson, 19-21, 21-16, 19-17, CMU's
Riley Daugherty and
Sierra Hunt then had an easier 21-14, 21-10 win over Park Gilbert's Nichole Gary and Grace Baker on Court 2.
CMU No. 3 duo
Savannah Spitzer and
Gracyn Spresser were also able to squeak out their first win of the season against the Spirit, winning 22-20, 21-18 over Amanda Carlson and Grace Hughes before cruising past the Bucs' Taylor Van Winkle and Jessica Goldsmith by a pair of 21-11 scores.
Barett Nolan and
Savannah Ott had a similar Tuesday, claiming a 21-19, 21-17 win over the Spirit's Shea Marovich and Dayana Rodriguez at No. 4 before dominating Park Gilbert's Daniella Miranda Johnson and Porsche Bauer, 21-10, 21-10.
The Mavericks will remain in Arizona and will compete in Arizona State's Sun Devil Invitational in Tempe on Friday and Saturday.
They will take on the host Sun Devils, ranked 11th in Tuesday's edition of the AVCA NCAA Collegiate Poll, at 3 p.m. on Friday before facing NCAA Division II rival Texas A&M-Kingsville two hours later at 5 p.m.
The Mavs will then take on Park Gilbert for a second time on Saturday at Noon to wrap up a 9-match, 8-day season-opening swing through the Grand Canyon State.
Colorado Mesa 5, #1 (NAIA) Ottawa University of Arizona 0
No. 1:
Hahni Johnson/
Amanda Ollinger (CMU) def. Diana Enriquez/Summer Hanks (OUAZ); 21-9, 21-9
No. 2:
Riley Daugherty/
Sierra Hunt (CMU) def. Olivia Andersh/Mattea Wilson (OUAZ); 19-21, 21-16, 19-17
No. 3:
Savannah Spitzer/
Gracyn Spresser (CMU) def. Amanda Carlson/Grace Hughes (OUAZ); 22-20, 21-18
No. 4:
Barett Nolan/
Savannah Ott (CMU) def. Shea Marovich/Dayana Raygoza (OUAZ); 21-19, 21-17
No. 5:
Cedar Bellows/
Sabrina VanDeList (CMU) def. Sam Bear/Savannah Marchese (OUAZ); 21-17, 21-14
Colorado Mesa 5, #RV (NAIA) Park University Gilbert 0
No. 1: Johnson/Ollinger def. Railey Druxman/Daisy Moates (Park); 21-12, 21-8
No. 2: Daugherty/Hunt def. Nichole Gary/Grace Baker (Park); 21-14, 21-10
No. 3: Spitzer/Spresser def. Taylor Van Winkle/Jessica Goldsmith (Park); 21-11, 21-11
No. 4: Nolan/Ott def. Daniella Miranda-Johnson/Porsche Bauer (Park); 21-10, 21-10
No. 5: Bellows/VanDeList def. Avery Turk/Eliza Pearson (Park); 21-7, 21-13
