University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagle Pair Finishes Second Day of AVCA Championships Undefeated
11/8/2025 8:59:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Laurel Dennis and Zuzanna Michalska completed day two of the AVCA Pair National Championships with two wins to stay alive in the hunt for a top 50 finish in the overall tournament. The pair downed No. 61 Palm Beach Atlantic 2-9 and No. 53 Georgia State 2-0 to move to the semifinals of their elimination bracket.
Action began at 10:30 a.m. against the 61-seed Palm Beach Atlantic pairing of Savannah DeCarlo and Annika Huhtamaki. Dennis (Gulfport, Miss.) and Michalska (Warsaw, Poland) took set one 21-17 and completed the sweep 21-16 in set two.
Southern Miss' pair, seeded 52nd in the overall bracket, matched up against fellow Sun Belt Conference opponent No. 53 Georgia State (B). Dennis and Michalska handed the Panther pair of Michaela Jefferson and Kate Phelan a two-set defeated, winning 21-17 and 21-13 in straight sets, respectively. The win pushed Southern Miss to the semifinals of the 49th place bracket, joining No. 56 South Florida, No. 47 North Alabama and No. 62 Houston Christian.
The Golden Eagles will take on South Florida's Abigail Lagemann and Josie Sek on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 10:30 a.m. for a shot at finishing in the top 50. The winner of the game will take on the winner of North Alabama and Houston Christian while the loser of each match will play one another for 51st and 52nd place.
49th Place Bracket – First Round
No. 49 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (B) def. No. 64 UT Martin (B) 2-0 (21-16, 21-17)
No. 56 South Florida def. No. 57 Austin Peay 2-0 (21-13, 22-20)
No. 53 Georgia State (B) def. No. 60 UT Martin (A) 2-0 (21-15, 23-21)
No. 52 Southern Miss vs. No. 61 Palm Beach Atlantic 2-0 (21-17, 21-16)
No. 62 Houston Christian def. No. 51 Chattanooga 2-1 (21-15, 14-21, 15-10)
No. 54 Florida Atlantic def. No. 59 Jacksonville 2-0 (21-15, 21-19)
No. 26 Stetson (B) def. No. 55 Hawai'i 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 15-12)
No. 47 North Alabama def. No. 63 Tampa (B) 2-0 (21-13, 21-15)
49th Place Bracket – Second Round
No. 56 South Florida def. No. 49 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (B) 2-0 (21-18, 21-17)
No. 52 Southern Miss def. No. 53 Georgia State (B) 2-0 (21-17, 21-13)
No. 62 Houston Christian def. No. 54 Florida Atlantic 2-1 (22-20, 10-21, 15-11)
No. 47 North Alabama def. No. 26 Stetson (B) 2-0 (21-18, 21-16)
49th Place Bracket – Semifinals – Nov. 9
No. 52 Southern Miss vs. No. 56 South Florida – 10:30 a.m.
No. 47 North Alabama vs. No. 62 Houston Christian – 11:45 a.m.
Winner of USM/USF vs. winner of UNA/HCU – Winner 49th place, loser 50th
Loser of USM/USF vs. loser of UNA/HCU – Winner 51st, loser 52nd
Action began at 10:30 a.m. against the 61-seed Palm Beach Atlantic pairing of Savannah DeCarlo and Annika Huhtamaki. Dennis (Gulfport, Miss.) and Michalska (Warsaw, Poland) took set one 21-17 and completed the sweep 21-16 in set two.
Southern Miss' pair, seeded 52nd in the overall bracket, matched up against fellow Sun Belt Conference opponent No. 53 Georgia State (B). Dennis and Michalska handed the Panther pair of Michaela Jefferson and Kate Phelan a two-set defeated, winning 21-17 and 21-13 in straight sets, respectively. The win pushed Southern Miss to the semifinals of the 49th place bracket, joining No. 56 South Florida, No. 47 North Alabama and No. 62 Houston Christian.
The Golden Eagles will take on South Florida's Abigail Lagemann and Josie Sek on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 10:30 a.m. for a shot at finishing in the top 50. The winner of the game will take on the winner of North Alabama and Houston Christian while the loser of each match will play one another for 51st and 52nd place.
49th Place Bracket – First Round
No. 49 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (B) def. No. 64 UT Martin (B) 2-0 (21-16, 21-17)
No. 56 South Florida def. No. 57 Austin Peay 2-0 (21-13, 22-20)
No. 53 Georgia State (B) def. No. 60 UT Martin (A) 2-0 (21-15, 23-21)
No. 52 Southern Miss vs. No. 61 Palm Beach Atlantic 2-0 (21-17, 21-16)
No. 62 Houston Christian def. No. 51 Chattanooga 2-1 (21-15, 14-21, 15-10)
No. 54 Florida Atlantic def. No. 59 Jacksonville 2-0 (21-15, 21-19)
No. 26 Stetson (B) def. No. 55 Hawai'i 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 15-12)
No. 47 North Alabama def. No. 63 Tampa (B) 2-0 (21-13, 21-15)
49th Place Bracket – Second Round
No. 56 South Florida def. No. 49 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (B) 2-0 (21-18, 21-17)
No. 52 Southern Miss def. No. 53 Georgia State (B) 2-0 (21-17, 21-13)
No. 62 Houston Christian def. No. 54 Florida Atlantic 2-1 (22-20, 10-21, 15-11)
No. 47 North Alabama def. No. 26 Stetson (B) 2-0 (21-18, 21-16)
49th Place Bracket – Semifinals – Nov. 9
No. 52 Southern Miss vs. No. 56 South Florida – 10:30 a.m.
No. 47 North Alabama vs. No. 62 Houston Christian – 11:45 a.m.
Winner of USM/USF vs. winner of UNA/HCU – Winner 49th place, loser 50th
Loser of USM/USF vs. loser of UNA/HCU – Winner 51st, loser 52nd
– #SMTTT –
Players Mentioned
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