GULF SHORES, Ala.— The Colorado Mesa University beach volleyball team set a new program record for team wins as they took the Pool D crown with 3-1 and 3-0 wins over Erskine and Carson-Newman on the opening day of the AVCA Small College Beach Championships, which got underway here on Thursday at the Gulf Shores Public Beach.
The Mavericks improved to 20-9 on the season equaling and then surpassing the 2023 national runner-up team that went 19-8 for wins in a season.
The Mavs dropped just two sets throughout the day and also showed off the depth of their program as both of their duos in the Pairs Challenge Tournament won their respective pools with 2-0 records throughout that sub-tournament.
Ten different Mavericks also contributed match victories in the team duals.
The Mavs, seeded fourth in the tournament, will next play in a Friday morning Challenge Round match against No. 8 seed Florida Southern, which went 1-1 in Pool F.
Colorado Mesa 3, Erskine 1
In Thursday's win over No. 14 seed Erskine, the Mavericks dominated in the first and third flights and pulled out a 3-set win at No. 2 to clinch the victory. The Mavs also had a narrow 1-point lead on Court 4 when the match was left unfinished as the tournament format calls for teams playing to clinch.
Ellie Ask and
Gracyn Spresser were the most dominant, winning their top flight match over the Fleet's MJ Cackett and Lillian Pragle, 21-9, 21-12.
CMU's
Barett Nolan and
Ania Swartzendruber were also just as impressive at No. 3, recording a 21-17, 21-6 victory.
Meanwhile,
Riley Daugherty and
Lizzy Hood won a 21-8, 12-21, 15-11 decision at No. 2, outlasting Paige Knotts and Abigail Platt in the final set.
The Fleet (7-21), who hail from Due West, South Carolina, received their team point at No. 5 as Maverick sophomore
Sofia Kolbe was injured and unable to continue after she and
Lucy Kaufman won the first set, 21-14.
Colorado Mesa 3, Carson-Newman 0
Against No. 9 seed Carson-Newman, which had won 17 straight duals entering the afternoon, the Mavericks rolled to a trio straight set victories.
Daugherty and Hood beat Emerson Ahsmuhs and Ava Fountain, 21-19, 21-10 while
Jessica Passi and
Taylor Scherff were 21-19, 21-12 victory over Camryn Ehlers and Morgan Foy.
The Mavs also won at No. 5 as Kaufman paired with
Lauren Rohlwing for a 21-17, 21-11 victory over Kat Nelson and Addie Smith.
The Mavs also won the first sets at No. 1 and 3 as Ask and Spresser were up 19-16 second in the second set when the match was called off. Nolan and Swartzendruber were also just two points away from victory, leading 19-18 in the second set after winning the first set of their No. 3 match over Trinity Hafey and Kylee Oldenburger, 21-10.
The Eagles, who hail from Jefferson City, Tennessee fell to 24-5 with the loss.
Pairs Challenge
In the Pairs Challenge,
Ava Blanco and
Brooke Hartman won Pool F, claiming a 21-16, 21-19 win over Tampa's Kyla Dow and Kaya Lobo in the morning before taking a 21-13, 21-17 win over Concordia's Alisa Gavva and Lexi Godbey.
Meanwhile, Rohlwing and
Stormi Tadlock won the Pool H title, breezing past Madison Moore and Josie Villarreal of Saint Leo, 21-10, 21-18 in their opener. They then came from a set behind to defeat Palm Beach Atlantic's Zoye Caroline and Cameron Ring, 15-21, 21-14, 15-9.
Rohlwing then had to quickly move over the Mavs' team dual against C-N to pair with Kaufman for the No. 5 win during what was a perfect day for the Maverick freshman.
There were ten Pairs Challenge pool and each winning duo was recognized for their efforts.
Friday Summary
The Mavs will play Florida Southern at 8 a.m. CDT (7 a.m. Mountain) and will then face either No. 1 seed CUI or No. 11 seed Vanguard in another Challenge Round match in the early afternoon, the results of which will set up the brackets for Saturday's Gold, Silver and Bronze Championship round divisions.
