BOISE, Idaho— The Colorado Mesa University beach volleyball team recorded a split for the second straight day as they ended the regular season on a high note, with a 3-2 win over CSU Bakersfield after falling by the same score in agonizing fashion to Saint Mary's (Calif.) for the third time this season earlier Saturday morning here at the Boise State Classic.
The Mavs' victory over the Roadrunners was their fifth over a NCAA Division I foe this season and moved them to 18-9 overall heading into next week's AVCA Small College Beach Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The Mavs are now just one win away from matching the 2023 season squad for the most wins in program history.
On Saturday, the Mavs were led by No. 5 pair
Lucy Kaufman and
Emerson Deferme, who went 2-0 on the day and 3-1 on the weekend.
Kaufman and Deferme pulled out a 21-18, 15-21, 15-12 win over Saint Mary's Grace Travis and Renne Nachtigall and then swept Brooklynn Thomas and Olivia Silacci-Jensen of CSUB by identical 21-19, 21-19 scores in the Mavs' weekend finale. That win over the Roadrunner pair clinched the dual victory.
The Mavs also claimed wins at No. 1 and No. 4 in the dual to take a 2-1 overall lead.
Gracyn Spresser and
Ellie Ask were 21-18, 21-6 winners in the top flight over Paola Caten and Sarah Martin while
Taylor Scherff and
Jessica Passi outlasted Olivia Ostler and Vianna Garcia, 21-17, 18-21, 19-17 in the Court 4 thriller.
Four of the five matches in the earlier dual against the Saint Mary's Gaels went to three sets. The Gaels pulled out three of those victories, including 17-15 third set decisions at No. 2 and 4 to pull out the victory by the narrowest of margins.
CMU's No. 3 pair of
Barett Nolan and
Ania Swartzendruber were 21-19, 21-19 victors in the only straight-set match of the dual and now lead the Mavs with 19 wins this season.
The Gaels, now 17-14 after falling 3-2 later on Saturday to host Boise State, had also won 3-2 decisions over the Mavs on Feb. 22 and 23 at the Grand Canyon Tournament.
The Mavs will learn their tournament seeding and pool play opponents for the AVCA Small College Championships early next week and will open the 3-day tournament on Thursday (Apr. 17).
Saint Mary's 3, Colorado Mesa 2
1. Allie Cataldo/Hannah Couch (SMC) def.
Gracyn Spresser/
Ellie Ask (CMU-BVB) 20-22, 21-11, 15-11
2. Clarissa Klein/Chloe Swanson (SMC) def.
Riley Daugherty/
Lizzy Hood (CMU-BVB) 21-18, 24-26, 17-15
3.
Barett Nolan/
Ania Swartzendruber (CMU-BVB) def. Angie Bour/Nya Crump (SMC) 21-19, 21-19
4. Hannah Glick/Sedona Sherman (SMC) def.
Taylor Scherff/
Jessica Passi (CMU-BVB) 22-20, 14-21, 17-15
5.
Lucy Kaufman/
Emerson Deferme (CMU-BVB) def. Grace Travis/Renee Nachtigall (SMC) 21-18, 15-21, 15-12
Match Notes:
Saint Mary's 17-13
Colorado Mesa 17-9
Order of finish: Doubles (4,2,5,3,1)
Colorado Mesa 3, CSU Bakersfield 2
1.
Gracyn Spresser/
Ellie Ask (CMU-BVB) def. Paola Caten/Sarah Martin (CSUB) 21-18, 21-6
2. Ella Erteltova/Vivi Kaelin (CSUB) def.
Riley Daugherty/
Lizzy Hood (CMU-BVB) 22-20, 21-10
3. Ella Ensign/Katey Milne (CSUB) def.
Barett Nolan/
Ania Swartzendruber (CMU-BVB) 21-15, 18-21, 15-13
4.
Taylor Scherff/
Jessica Passi (CMU-BVB) def. Olivia Ostler/Vianna Garcia (CSUB) 21-17, 18-21, 19-17
5.
Lucy Kaufman/
Emerson Deferme (CMU-BVB) def. Brooklynn Thomas/Oliv Silacci-Jensen (CSUB) 21-19, 21-19
Match Notes:
Colorado Mesa 18-9
CSU Bakersfield 10-18
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,4,5,3);
