KINGSVILLE, Texas – The opening weekend for the ULM beach volleyball team was filled with many tests, both mental and physical.
For six freshmen, it was their first collegiate tournament and road trip. For the team as a whole, they had to face four new opponents, including Pac-12 team Utah, as well as high temperatures and wind. The challenges didn't phase the Warhawks one bit, ULM finished the weekend undefeated, only dropping one game all weekend at the Nick and Dee Herman Invitational at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
"All of our pairs were very impressive on the sand," ULM head coach Michael Hobson said. "From the No. 1s to the No. 6s, we competed with some grit because we all had the common goal of using each opportunity as a way to get better. The wind and heat were factors in every match this weekend and our ball control and key skills really held up through the test.
"Avery (Reynolds) and Claire (Williamson) at our No. 4 pairing did not drop a set all weekend and only allowed a team within five points of them once. Rylin (Adams) and
Madeline Marquez (No. 2), Brooke (Hoven) and Tamsie (Black) (No. 3),
Kaitlyn Beck and Kaylie (Beck) (No. 5), and
Madeline Williams and Katie (Felts) (No. 6) all had sets they battled back from a deficit to win.
Abby Ryno,
Paige Ingersoll, and
Taylor Shelton were huge factors this weekend for us. Having only dropped one match (by 2 points) in the 23 matches we played this weekend is just a sneak peak of what we are capable of."
ULM opened with a 5-0 win over Missouri Baptist. Reynolds and Williamson opened with a sweep at No. 4, defeating Natalie Edson and Marina Obradovic, 21-6, 21-6. Adams and Marquez put ULM up 2-0 on court two, topping Sara Klunder and Paige Glucek, 21-8, 21-4. The Warhawks sealed the win on court three, as Black and Hoven won against Emma Lattimore and Kirsten Vlueten, 21-19, 21-10. ULM continued to pour it on as
Julia Blazek and
Kaitlyn Nowak took court one, 21-12, 21-14 against Lisanne vanHouwligen and Nathiellen Machado. Kaylie and
Kaitlyn Beck finished the sweep on court five, picking up a 19-21, 21-15, 15-6 win against Maria Hanusik and Gabi Jakubowksa.
The Warhawks then took down Utah to close play on Friday, 4-1, in a tightly-contested match with five of six spots coming down to the third set. Reynolds and Williamson again started ULM with a 1-0 lead on court four, defeating Kylie Pitzak and Sydney Jacinto in two sets, 21-18, 21-13. The lead went to 2-0 on court one as Blazek and Nowak won over Amaya Messier and Katie McAlister, 21-18, 15-21, 15-11. ULM sealed the dual early on court three as
Brooke Hoven and
Tamsie Black knocked off Marissa Koch and Abby Karich, 19-21, 21-15, 15-12. Utah earned its only point on court five as Sonja Wessel and Savannah Cottam downed Kaylie and
Kaitlyn Beck, 21-18, 20-22, 15-12. On court two, ULM bounced back as Adams and Marquez won against Grace Andrews and Bella Vezzani, 19-21, 21-13, 15-9. In an extra match, ULM's Felts and Williams defeated Chloe Narancich and Siona Thompson, 25-27, 21-19, 15-13.
For Adams, a Utah native, the weekend was full of excitement and special feelings, especially having beaten the school that she grew up near and where she has a family connection.
"I grew up about 25 minutes from the University of Utah, and my little brother, Kai (Roberts), plays on its baseball team," Adams said. "It made beating them (Utah) even more exciting, and to have my family there to watch was special. It was a really big win for us, and Utah made us earn the win by taking all pairs to three sets. Utah played well, and I'm proud of the effort we gave them. It was a big team win for us."
On Saturday, ULM opened with a 5-0 win over East Texas Baptist. Reynolds and Williamson again set the tone on court four, winning 21-7, 21-4, against Riley Tuck and Maggie Smitherman. Adams and Marquez extended the lead on court two, 21-11, 21-7, against Mollee McCurley and Riley Reneau. ULM won the match on court five, where
Kaitlyn Beck and
Kaylie Beck topped Shelby Freudensprung and Nadia Brockway, 21-9, 21-9. ULM moved to a 4-0 lead on court three as Black and Hoven downed Hope Shipp and Annika Demuth, 21-10, 21-15. The Warhawks completed the sweep on court one where Blazek and Nowak won over Ashely Salas and Madison McDonald, 21-14, 21-9. In an extra match, Felts and Williams won over Madison Chandler and Antonia Redfern, 21-6, 21-6.
ULM concluded the four-dual sweep with a 5-0 win over Corban. Kaylie and
Kaitlyn Beck opened with a win on court five, 21-8, 21-10, over Kealani Ontai and Emmi Marks. Reynolds and Williamson finished a 4-0 run on court four with a 21-12, 21-15 win over Marks and Jolinn Daviscourt. The Warhawks clinched the match on court one, as Blazek and Nowak defeated Megan Dennis and Avari Ridgway, 21-17, 21-17. Black and Hoven won on court three, 18-21, 21-16, 15-9, against Jessica McMillian and Ally Schmidt. ULM completed the sweep on court two, where Adams and Marquez topped Kiana Keeling and Maya Blake, 20-22, 21-14, 15-13. In an extra match, Felts and Williams won over Aiyana Henderson and Ontai, 21-15, 15-21, 15-11.
Heading into this coming weekend at Nicholls, first ball side-outs will be one of the primary focuses according to Hobson.
Julia Blazek, who plays on the No. 1 pair, has a ton of excitement coming into next weekend, especially after some big wins.
"This upcoming weekend I'm looking forward to competing once again against Nicholls, as well as first-time opponent LaGrange," Blazek said. "I am really excited to play New Orleans, because the past three years that I have been here, they have always been a solid team. It should be a great match, and I believe our team is ready for it."
To Hobson, this is only the beginning. He says the team is loaded with potential and have just seen a glimpse of it through opening weekend.
"This is a very special group that has the ability to have a very special year," Hobson said. "Just in our first weekend we have already started to rewrite the script of our program. This is the first time since 2019 that we have come out of a weekend 4-0, and the first time since 2016 beating a Power-5 program (Washington). It was not just our play that was impressive, it was our preparation and competing at the highest level as a team. This is just the beginning, but I love our starting point and the passion we have to use each game to progress."
The Warhawks travel to Nicholls to play Loyola New Orleans and Nicholls on Friday and LaGrange and New Orleans on Saturday.
ULM 5, Missouri Baptist 0
1.
Julia Blazek/
Kaitlyn Nowak (ULM) def. Lisanne vanHouwligen/Nathiellen Machado (MBU) 21-12, 21-14
2.
Rylin Adams/
Madeline Marquez (ULM) def. Sara Klunder/Paige Glucek (MBU) 21-8, 21-4
3.
Tamsie Black/
Brooke Hoven (ULM) def. Emma Lattimore/Kirsten Vlueten (MBU) 21-19, 21-10
4.
Avery Reynolds/
Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Natalie Edson/Marina Obradovic (MBU) 21-6, 21-6
5.
Kaylie Beck/
Kaitlyn Beck (ULM) def. Maria Hanusik/Gabi Jakubowska (MBU) 19-21, 21-15, 15-6
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 5
ULM 4, Utah 1
1.
Julia Blazek/
Kaitlyn Nowak (ULM) def. Amaya Messier/Katie McAlister (UTAH) 21-18, 15-21, 15-11
2.
Rylin Adams/
Madeline Marquez (ULM) def. Grace Andrews/Bella Vezzani (UTAH) 19-21, 21-13, 15-9
3.
Brooke Hoven/
Tamsie Black (ULM) def. Marissa Koch/Abby Karich (UTAH) 19-21, 21-15, 15-12
4.
Avery Reynolds/
Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Kylie Pitzak/Sydney Jacinto (UTAH) 21-18, 21-13
5. Sonja Wessel/Savannah Cottam (UTAH) def.
Kaitlyn Beck/
Kaylie Beck (ULM) 21-18, 20-22, 15-12
Ext.
Katie Felts/
Madeline Williams (ULM) def. Chloe Narancich/Siona Thompson (UTAH) 25-27, 21-19, 15-13
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3, 5, 2
ULM 5, East Texas Baptist 0
1.
Julia Blazek/
Kaitlyn Nowak (ULM) def. Ashely Salas/Madison McDonald (ETBU) 21-14, 21-9
2.
Rylin Adams/
Madeline Marquez (ULM) def. Mollee McCurley/Riley Reneau (ETBU) 21-11, 21-7
3.
Tamsie Black/
Brooke Hoven (ULM) def. Hope Shipp/Annika Demuth (ETBU) 21-10, 21-15
4.
Avery Reynolds/
Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Riley Tuck/Maggie Smitherman (ETBU) 21-7, 21-4
5.
Kaitlyn Beck/
Kaylie Beck (ULM) def. Shelby Freudensprung/Nadia Brockway (ETBU) 21-9, 21-9
Ext.
Madeline Williams/
Katie Felts (ULM) def. Madison Chandler/Antonia Redfern (ETBU) 21-6, 21-6
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 5, 3, 1
ULM 5, Corban 0
1.
Julia Blazek/
Kaitlyn Nowak (ULM) def. Megan Dennis/Avari Ridgway (CRB) 21-17, 21-17
2.
Rylin Adams/
Madeline Marquez (ULM) def. Kiana Keeling/Maya Blake (CRB) 20-22, 21-14, 15-13
3.
Tamsie Black/
Brooke Hoven (ULM) def. Jessica McMillian/Ally Schmidt (CRB) 18-21, 21-16, 15-9
4.
Avery Reynolds/
Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Emmi Marks/Jolinn Daviscourt (CRB) 21-12, 21-15
5.
Kaylie Beck/
Kaitlyn Beck (ULM) def. Kealani Ontai/Emmi Marks (CRB) 21-8, 21-10
Ext.
Katie Felts/
Madeline Williams (ULM) def. Aiyana Henderson/Kealani Ontai (CRB) 21-15, 15-21, 15-11
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 1, 3, 2
