University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Beach Volleyball Falls in Two Matches Against Top Opponents
3/17/2022 10:15:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. – Southern Miss Beach Volleyball finishes Pepperdine's Malibu Invite 0-2 against two top-20 teams.
"I thought we passed well for the most part today in both matches," said head coach Shawn Taylor. "We continue to play well in short spurts but against teams like Pepperdine and Long Beach State, you have to play full matches of good volleyball. We will get there; we just have to keep capitalizing on every opportunity to get better."
No. 18 Pepperdine 5, Southern Miss 0
The Golden Eagles kicked off the Malibu Invite against host Pepperdine at Noon (CT)—10 A.M. (PT)—at the Pepperdine Beach Volleyball Complex. The 18th-ranked Waves entered the match with a 7-2 record. The two losses coming to ranked opponents South Carolina and LSU.
Southern Miss would use the same lineup that propelled them to two wins last weekend at the Tulane Classic.
The Waves took the match in straight sets in all five flights and the extension. No. 4 pairing Hallie Phelan and Reagan Sandlin fell first, 11-21 and 16-21. The Golden Eagles would finish the first wave of the dual with a defeat at the fifth flight. Kai Norman and Valeria Siakidou came within two in each of their matches but were ultimately defeated 19-21 in both bouts.
The second wave of matches featured flights one, two and three. On court one, Golden Eagle No. 1 pairing of Breleigh Favre and Kellie Garraway dropped both sets by decisions of 7-21 and 9-21.
At the second position, the freshman pairing of Aleksandra Chudzik and Vanessa Hurnikova lost 13-21 and 16-21. Rounding out the day, third pair Olivia Hepworth and Taylor Pierce were defeated by the Waves, 15-21 and 16-21.
Pepperdine also downed the Black & Gold at the extension. Kaylie Beck and Melanie Miller posted 13-21 and 8-21 scores in their two-match defeat.
No. 14 Long Beach State 5, Southern Miss 0
After being off during the Long Beach State/Pepperdine dual, Southern Miss took on the 1-8 Beach. Long Beach State entered as the No. 14 team in the nation despite their seven losses at the start of this weekend. Southern Miss is the first unranked opponent LBSU has faced in 2022.
Southern Miss kept the same lineup at flights one through five, only changing at the sixth flight.
Despite much improved performances on each court, Southern Miss was unable to overcome the Beach. No. 2 pair Chudzik/Hurnikova finished first, falling 15-21 and 14-21 in their sets against the Beach. They would be immediately followed by No. 4 pairing Phelan/Sandlin who fell by scores of 15-21 and 16-21.
The second wave against Long Beach State was more of the same for the Golden Eagles. First pair Favre/Garraway were defeated 16-21, 6-21 sealing the match for LBSU. Third pair Hepworth/Pierce came up short in their first set, 18-21. The pair's comeback fell short as they were defeated 16-21.
Fifth pair Norman/Siakidou were the closest pair to taking a set from the Beach. The pair pushed LBSU to the brink in set one before falling 19-21. Their second set was almost as close as the first as they were downed 15-21.
At the extension Kaylie Beck paired with Wiio Meinheit for the first time this season. The pair also came up short in both sets by scores of 19-21 and 15-21.
Next Up
After an unsuccessful day in Malibu, Southern Miss looks to right the ship tomorrow with two matches against No. 6 Loyola Marymount. The twinbill against the Lions will be the third and fourth time this season the Golden Eagles will face the sixth-ranked team in the nation.
"Tomorrow against Loyola Marymount we will see the same high caliber of competition," said Taylor. "We got a good look at them when they competed at LSU. The same will ring true. We need to play loose and take risks to put ourselves in a position to win."
Duals begin tomorrow at Noon (CT) with the second tentatively set for 2 P.M. (CT). Both matches will be played on the beaches of sunny Los Angeles. For updates, scores and more, follow Southern Miss beach volleyball on Twitter @SouthernMissBVB, on Instagram @southernmissbvb or at SouthernMiss.com
No. 18 Pepperdine 5, Southern Miss 0
1. Paul, Melanie/Shields, Madison (PEP) def. Breleigh Favre/Kellie Garraway (USM) 21-7, 21-9
2. Priebe, Simone/Thomas, McKenna (PEP) def. Aleksandra Chudzik/Vanessa Hurnikova (USM) 21-13, 21-16
3. Lewis, Peyton/Quintero, Juju (PEP) def. Olivia Hepworth/Taylor Pierce (USM) 21-15, 21-16
4. Clermont, Kate/Benoit, Jordan (PEP) def. Reagan Sandlin/Hallie Phelan (USM) 21-11, 21-16
5. Frohoff, Rio/Baklenko, Cameron (PEP) def. Valeria Siakidou/Kai Norman (USM) 21-19, 21-19
Ext. Sinclair, Mary/Greene, Savana (PEP) def. Melanie Miller/Kaylie Beck (USM) 21-13, 21-8
No. 14 Long Beach State 5, Southern Miss 0
1. Skyler Germann/Alice Pratesi (LBSU) def. Breleigh Favre/Kellie Garraway (USM) 21-16, 21-6
2. Nicci Reinking/Katie Kennedy (LBSU) def. Vanessa Hurnikova/Aleksandra Chudzik (USM) 21-15, 21-14
3. Sydney Stevens/Savannah Lyons (LBSU) def. Taylor Pierce/Olivia Hepworth (USM) 21-18, 21-15
4. Jillian Rodriguez/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Hallie Phelan/Reagan Sandlin (USM) 21-15, 21-16
5. Kenzie Holtz/Claire Newlander (LBSU) def. Valeria Siakidou/Kai Norman (USM) 21-18, 21-19
Ext. Haley Carrington/Leah Black (LBSU) def. Kaylie Beck/Wiio Meinheit (USM) 21-19, 21-15
"I thought we passed well for the most part today in both matches," said head coach Shawn Taylor. "We continue to play well in short spurts but against teams like Pepperdine and Long Beach State, you have to play full matches of good volleyball. We will get there; we just have to keep capitalizing on every opportunity to get better."
No. 18 Pepperdine 5, Southern Miss 0
The Golden Eagles kicked off the Malibu Invite against host Pepperdine at Noon (CT)—10 A.M. (PT)—at the Pepperdine Beach Volleyball Complex. The 18th-ranked Waves entered the match with a 7-2 record. The two losses coming to ranked opponents South Carolina and LSU.
Southern Miss would use the same lineup that propelled them to two wins last weekend at the Tulane Classic.
The Waves took the match in straight sets in all five flights and the extension. No. 4 pairing Hallie Phelan and Reagan Sandlin fell first, 11-21 and 16-21. The Golden Eagles would finish the first wave of the dual with a defeat at the fifth flight. Kai Norman and Valeria Siakidou came within two in each of their matches but were ultimately defeated 19-21 in both bouts.
The second wave of matches featured flights one, two and three. On court one, Golden Eagle No. 1 pairing of Breleigh Favre and Kellie Garraway dropped both sets by decisions of 7-21 and 9-21.
At the second position, the freshman pairing of Aleksandra Chudzik and Vanessa Hurnikova lost 13-21 and 16-21. Rounding out the day, third pair Olivia Hepworth and Taylor Pierce were defeated by the Waves, 15-21 and 16-21.
Pepperdine also downed the Black & Gold at the extension. Kaylie Beck and Melanie Miller posted 13-21 and 8-21 scores in their two-match defeat.
No. 14 Long Beach State 5, Southern Miss 0
After being off during the Long Beach State/Pepperdine dual, Southern Miss took on the 1-8 Beach. Long Beach State entered as the No. 14 team in the nation despite their seven losses at the start of this weekend. Southern Miss is the first unranked opponent LBSU has faced in 2022.
Southern Miss kept the same lineup at flights one through five, only changing at the sixth flight.
Despite much improved performances on each court, Southern Miss was unable to overcome the Beach. No. 2 pair Chudzik/Hurnikova finished first, falling 15-21 and 14-21 in their sets against the Beach. They would be immediately followed by No. 4 pairing Phelan/Sandlin who fell by scores of 15-21 and 16-21.
The second wave against Long Beach State was more of the same for the Golden Eagles. First pair Favre/Garraway were defeated 16-21, 6-21 sealing the match for LBSU. Third pair Hepworth/Pierce came up short in their first set, 18-21. The pair's comeback fell short as they were defeated 16-21.
Fifth pair Norman/Siakidou were the closest pair to taking a set from the Beach. The pair pushed LBSU to the brink in set one before falling 19-21. Their second set was almost as close as the first as they were downed 15-21.
At the extension Kaylie Beck paired with Wiio Meinheit for the first time this season. The pair also came up short in both sets by scores of 19-21 and 15-21.
Next Up
After an unsuccessful day in Malibu, Southern Miss looks to right the ship tomorrow with two matches against No. 6 Loyola Marymount. The twinbill against the Lions will be the third and fourth time this season the Golden Eagles will face the sixth-ranked team in the nation.
"Tomorrow against Loyola Marymount we will see the same high caliber of competition," said Taylor. "We got a good look at them when they competed at LSU. The same will ring true. We need to play loose and take risks to put ourselves in a position to win."
Duals begin tomorrow at Noon (CT) with the second tentatively set for 2 P.M. (CT). Both matches will be played on the beaches of sunny Los Angeles. For updates, scores and more, follow Southern Miss beach volleyball on Twitter @SouthernMissBVB, on Instagram @southernmissbvb or at SouthernMiss.com
No. 18 Pepperdine 5, Southern Miss 0
1. Paul, Melanie/Shields, Madison (PEP) def. Breleigh Favre/Kellie Garraway (USM) 21-7, 21-9
2. Priebe, Simone/Thomas, McKenna (PEP) def. Aleksandra Chudzik/Vanessa Hurnikova (USM) 21-13, 21-16
3. Lewis, Peyton/Quintero, Juju (PEP) def. Olivia Hepworth/Taylor Pierce (USM) 21-15, 21-16
4. Clermont, Kate/Benoit, Jordan (PEP) def. Reagan Sandlin/Hallie Phelan (USM) 21-11, 21-16
5. Frohoff, Rio/Baklenko, Cameron (PEP) def. Valeria Siakidou/Kai Norman (USM) 21-19, 21-19
Ext. Sinclair, Mary/Greene, Savana (PEP) def. Melanie Miller/Kaylie Beck (USM) 21-13, 21-8
No. 14 Long Beach State 5, Southern Miss 0
1. Skyler Germann/Alice Pratesi (LBSU) def. Breleigh Favre/Kellie Garraway (USM) 21-16, 21-6
2. Nicci Reinking/Katie Kennedy (LBSU) def. Vanessa Hurnikova/Aleksandra Chudzik (USM) 21-15, 21-14
3. Sydney Stevens/Savannah Lyons (LBSU) def. Taylor Pierce/Olivia Hepworth (USM) 21-18, 21-15
4. Jillian Rodriguez/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Hallie Phelan/Reagan Sandlin (USM) 21-15, 21-16
5. Kenzie Holtz/Claire Newlander (LBSU) def. Valeria Siakidou/Kai Norman (USM) 21-18, 21-19
Ext. Haley Carrington/Leah Black (LBSU) def. Kaylie Beck/Wiio Meinheit (USM) 21-19, 21-15
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