BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The ULM beach volleyball team finished 3-1 at the UAB Beach Classic, earning wins over Jacksonville State, Mercer and Austin Peay with its only loss coming to the host team, UAB. The team broke the single-season wins record, breaking the previous record of 19 wins in a single season.
Coming into the weekend, Coach Michael Hobson knew that the competition would be tougher than what they'd faced previously, but that didn't stop him from knowing what his team is capable of.
"I felt very confident in our team," Hobson said. "With the way we sectioned off our schedule into three parts, we were very successful in our goals and expectations in the first two segments and this weekend started our third. We have a good foundation for skills and technique and through the first part of our season we have developed a swagger of we belong on the sand with anyone, and we have a firm grasp that nobody can control our energy and effort besides us."
After the conclusion of the weekend, Hobson believed his team responded exceptionally well to the challenges.
"We battled and controlled our controllables all weekend," Hobson said. "I had family members and other coaches coming up and complimenting me all weekend about how much of a change they see with our team, and how we are now a team that others cannot take lightly. That is the biggest compliment because we are not out to prove anything to anybody but ourselves, but when you do the right things the right way people notice."
ULM kicked off the weekend with an early morning matchup against Jacksonville State, taking the match 5-0 and breaking the single-season win record with the victory over the Gamecocks.
Avery Reynolds and
Claire Williamson started the match with a win at the No. 4 over Kathryn Smith and Parker Phenicie, 21-11, 21-9.
Julia Blazek and
Kaitlyn Nowak started off slow, dropping their first set, but bounced back to take a win at the No. 2 over Kylee Quigley and Luci Wilkinson, 19-21, 21-14, 15-12. The No. 5s,
Kaitlyn Beck and
Kaylie Beck, came out hot, taking down Morgan McClure and Kiara Amigon, 21-3, 21-6.
Brooke Hoven and
Tamsie Black continued to bring in wins after defeating Brooklyn Schiffli and Carley Lynch at the No. 3, 21-15, 21-8. The No. 1s,
Rylin Adams and
Madeline Marquez, completed the sweep with a win over Gracie Danzinger and Isabelle Fuell, 21-10, 21-16.
The Warhawks ended Friday's matches with a 4-1 win over Sun Belt Conference member Mercer. Blazek and Nowak fell at the No. 2 to Nicole O'Mara and Katie Hardie, 21-18, 21-15. Reynolds and Williamson brought in a hard-fought win at the No. 4 over Kathryn Corbett and Alyssa Scoggins, 23-21, 22-20, to even up the dual.
Kaitlyn Beck and
Kaylie Beck put ULM in front with a win at the No. 5s over Hollis Engel and Jordan Morris, 21-15, 21-16. The No. 1s, Adams and Marquez, sealed the match in a three-set thriller, beating Lexi Polychrones and Jordan Paddock, 22-20, 19-21, 15-11. Hoven and Black concluded the dual at the No. 3 after a three-set match, defeating Sydney Benson and Jordan Thomas-Warren, 22-24, 21-14, 15-12.
ULM opened Saturday morning with a 3-2 win over Austin Peay with three out of the five courts coming down to a deciding third set. Blazek and Nowak opened the match for ULM at the No. 2s, defeating Chloee McDaniel and Mikayla Powell, 21-15, 21-16. Reynolds and Williamson started their morning off with a three-set win at the No. 4 over Erin Eisenhart and Tegan Seyring, 18-21, 24-22, 15-13.
Kaitlyn Beck and
Kaylie Beck at the No. 5 followed in a similar fashion to seal the dual with a win over Karli Graham and Tristin Smith, 21-15, 21-23, 15-11. Austin Peay's No. 3s pair, Jamie Seward and Elizabeth Wheat, defeated Hoven and Black 21-18, 21-16, and Adams and Marquez came up just short at the No. 1s, losing a three-set match to Marlayna Bullington and Kelsey Mead 21-19, 25-27, 15-11, as the Governors salvaged two points from the dual.
The weekend ended for the Warhawks in a battle with the host team, UAB, ultimately falling to the Blazers, 4-1. Reynolds and Williamson ended their weekend undefeated at the No.4 after beating Adrianna Pereira and Ella Alexander, 21-12, 23-21. The dual turned toward UAB at the No. 2s, as Blazek and Nowak lost in three sets to Brooke Pertuit and Jasmine Haas, 17-21, 21-19, 15-11. The No. 3s, Hoven and Black, also were defeated by the Blazers, falling to Jessica Ennis and Emma Andraka, 21-11, 21-7.
Kaitlyn Beck and
Kaylie Beck put up a gritty fight at the No. 5, but fell short and were defeated by Olivia Stant and Olivia Chychrun 17-21, 22-20, 15-9. The No. 1s, Adams and Marquez, were defeated by Arden Copping and Mikayla Law-Heese, 21-15, 15-21, 15-11.
After a competitive weekend, Hobson has set his sights on the upcoming home tournament and gets to honor his seniors who have helped build this program into what it is.
"This weekend will be a great weekend to celebrate our graduating class," Hobson said. "Everything they have given to this program and creating some consistency through some of their four years here is truly commendable. I am also looking forward to another good weekend of competition, seeing Spring Hill for the second time this season and going up against Central Arkansas for the first time and conference opponent Stephen F. Austin to try and stay undefeated in conference play."
The Warhawks will return home this coming weekend where they will face Central Arkansas, Spring Hill, Hendrix, and Sun Belt Conference opponent, Stephen F. Austin.
ULM 5, Jacksonville State 0
1. Adams, Rylin/Marquez, Madeline (ULM) def. Gracie Danzinger/Isabelle Fuell (JSU) 21-10, 21-16
2. Blazek, Julia/Nowak, Kaitlyn (ULM) def. Luci Wilkinson/Kylee Quigley (JSU) 19-21, 21-14, 15-12
3. Hoven, Brooke/Black, Tamsie (ULM) def. Brooklyn Schiffli/Carley Lynch (JSU) 21-15, 21-8
4. Reynolds, Avery/Williamson, Claire (ULM) def. Kathryn Smith/Parker Phenicie (JSU) 21-11, 21-9
5. Beck, Kaylie/Beck, Kaitlyn (ULM) def. Morgan McClure/Kiara Amigon (JSU) 21-3, 21-6
Match Notes:
Jacksonville St. 0-10-3
ULM 20-1
Order of finish: Doubles (4,2,5,3,1);
T-1:47 A-65
ULM 4, Mercer 1
1. Adams, Rylin/Marquez, Madeline (ULM) def. Lexi Polychrones/Jordan Paddock (MER) 22-20, 19-21, 15-11
2. Nicole O'Mara/Kate Hardie (MER) def. Blazek, Julia/Nowak, Kaitlyn (ULM) 21-18, 21-15
3. Hoven, Brooke/Black, Tamsie (ULM) def. Sydney Benson/Jordan Thomas-Warren (MER) 22-24, 21-14, 15-12
4. Reynolds, Avery/Williamson, Claire (ULM) def. Kathryn Corbett/Alyssa Scoggins (MER) 23-21, 22-20
5. Beck, Kaylie/Beck, Kaitlyn (ULM) def. Hollis Engel/Jordan Morris (MER) 21-15, 21-16
Ext. Williams, Madeline/Felts, Katie (ULM) def. Mary Callahan/Skylar Kelly (MER) 21-18, 21-19
Match Notes:
ULM 21-1
Mercer 3-18
Order of finish: Doubles (2,4,5,1,3);
T-1:57 A-112
ULM 3, Austin Peay 2
1. BULLINGTON, Marlayna/MEAD, Kelsey (APSU) def. Adams, Rylin/Marquez, Madeline (ULM) 21-19, 25-27, 15-11
2. Blazek, Julia/Nowak, Kaitlyn (ULM) def. MCDANIEL, Chloee/POWELL, Mikayla (APSU) 21-15, 21-16
3. SEWARD, Jamie/WHEAT, Elizabeth (APSU) def. Hoven, Brooke/Black, Tamsie (ULM) 21-18, 21-16
4. Reynolds, Avery/Williamson, Claire (ULM) def. EISENHART, Erin/SEYRING, Tegan (APSU) 18-21, 24-22, 15-13
5. Beck, Kaylie/Williamson, Claire (ULM) def. GRAHAM, Karli/SMITH, Tristin (APSU) 21-15, 21-23, 15-11
Ext. Williams, Madeline/Felts, Katie (ULM) def. CARNATHAN, Sarah/LOIARS, Emma (APSU) 21-15, 21-11
Match Notes:
Austin Peay 12-7
ULM 22-1
Order of finish: Doubles (2,4,5,3,1);
T-1:58 A-78
UAB 4, ULM 1
1. Arden Copping/Mikayla Law-Heese (UAB) def. Adams, Rylin/Marquez, Madeline (ULM) 21-15, 15-21, 15-11
2. Brooke Pertuit/Jasmine Haas (UAB) def. Blazek, Julia/Nowak, Kaitlyn (ULM) 17-21, 21-19, 15-11
3. Jessica Ennis/Emma Andraka (UAB) def. Hoven, Brooke/Black, Tamsie (ULM) 21-11, 21-7
4. Reynolds, Avery/Williamson, Claire (ULM) def. Adriana Pereira/Ella Alexander (UAB) 21-12, 23-21
5. Olivia Stant/Olivia Chychrun (UAB) def. Beck, Kaylie/Beck, Kaitlyn (ULM) 17-21, 22-20, 15-9
Ext. Ali O'Donnell/Ellie Heflin (UAB) def. Williams, Madeline/Felts, Katie (ULM) 21-16, 19-21, 15-10
Match Notes:
ULM 22-2
UAB 12-10
Order of finish: Doubles (4,2,3,5,1);
T-2:10 A-150
