Utah Beach Registers First Wins Of Season At LBSU Tournament

Press Release courtesy of Utah Athletics

The Utah beach volleyball team went 2-1 in the first day of action of the Long Beach State Tournament. Utah opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over Long Beach City College, but then fell to tournament host and No. 6-ranked Long Beach State, 5-0. The Utes rounded out Saturday’s play with a 4-1 win over CSU Bakersfield.

The Utes (2-6) registered its first win of the season with a 4-1 victory over the Vikings. The duo’s of Adora Anae/Dani Barton, Tawnee Luafalemana/Melissa Poweell, Bailey Choy/Berkeley Oblad and Lauga Guata/Alexa Van Komen all picked up two-set wins, while Brianna Doehrmann/Kenzie Koerber dropped a three-set match. Phoebe Grace and Lauren Sproule played in an exhibition match, earning a set and falling in one.

LBSU swept its way past the Utes in the second set of the day, but Utah came back to down the Roadrunners in four sets in the final match on Saturday. All four winners from the first match picked up wins for the second time on the day, while Doehrmann/Koerber came up short, yet again. Also for the second time on the day, Grace and Sproule split its two-set exhibition match against the Roadrunners.

Utah will wrap-up play at the LBSU Tournament on Sunday, taking on the 49ers in the first match of the day and then wrapping up competition against No. 16-ranked Loyola Marymount. Tomorrow’s match-up against the Lions will mark the third meeting of the season. LMU won the previous two meetings against the Utes in Honolulu last weekend.

Utah 4, Long Beach City College 1

1. Adora Anae/Dani Barton (Utah) def. Davis/Vazquez (LBCC) 21-9, 21-11
2. Tawnee Luafalemana/Melissa Powell (Utah) def. Tuilaii-Umi/Diaz (LBCC) 21-16, 21-14
3. Jessica Kaeka/Brooklin Mize (LBCC) def. Brianna Doehrmann/Kenzie Koerber (Utah) 11-21, 21-13, 12-15)
4. Bailey Choy/Berkeley Oblad (Utah) def. Isabella Alvarez/Doris Woods (LBCC) 21-14, 21-15
5. Luaga Guata/Alexa Van Komen (Utah) def. Mariah Clausen/Elsa Woods (LBCC) 21-18, 21-15

Exh. Phoebe Grace/Lauren Sproule (Utah) tied Misty May-Treanor/Tyler Jackson (LBCC) 21-18, 15-21

#6 Long Beach State 5, Utah 0

1) Nele Barber/Sasha Karelov, (LBSU) def. Adora Anae/Dani Barton (UTAH 21-18, 22-20

2) Megan Kruidhof/Rachel Nieto, (LBSU) def. Tawnee Luafalemana/Melissa Powell (Utah) 21-12, 21-4

3) Hailey Harward/Nicci Reinking, (LBSU) def. Brianna Doehrmann/Kenzie Koerber (Utah) 21-6, 21-13

4) Zoi Konstantopoulou/Claire Newlander, (LBSU) def. Bailey Choy/Berkeley Oblad (Utah) 21-10, 21-17

5) Hannah Matt/Marisa Ramsey, (LBSU) def. Lauga Guata/Lauren Sproule (Utah) 21-2, 21-12

Utah 4, CSU Bakersfield 1

1. Adora Anae/Dani Barton (Utah) def. Emily Hansen/Sydney Haynes (CSUB) 21-14, 22-20
2. Tawnee Luafalemana/Melissa Powell (Utah) def. Sarah Garrow/Desiree Sukhov (CSUB) 21-10, 13-21, 18-16
3. Aleksandra Djordjevic/Briannah Mariner (CSUB) def. Brianna Doehrmann/Kenzie Koerber (Utah) 17-21, 16-21
4. Bailey Choy/Berkeley Oblad (Utah) def. Mattison Degarmo/Emily Lopes (CSUB) 23-25, 21-10, 15-13
5. Luaga Guata/Alexa Van Komen (Utah) def. Ally Barber/Krista Hernandez (CSUB) 21-13, 21-12

Exh. Phoebe Grace/Lauren Sproule (Utah) tied Tasha Skabelund/Hannah Manzanares (CSUB) 16-21, 21-17