University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, April 23
Foley, Ala. / Foley Sports Tourism Complex
1:30 p.m.
Southern Miss
4
vs
1
(6) ULM
Southern Miss Splits First Day of Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship
4/23/2026 9:57:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
FOLEY, Ala. – Third-seeded Southern Miss beach volleyball opened the first day of the 2026 Sun Belt Championship by splitting its two matches. The Golden Eagles (15-20, 4-1 Sun Belt) began the day with a 4-1 win over (6) ULM (6-26, 1-5 Sun Belt) before falling 5-0 to (2) Georgia State (19-18, 4-1 Sun Belt) to end the day.
With the loss to Georgia State, Southern Miss falls to the contenders' bracket and will take on (5) College of Charleston (8-21, 2-3 Sun Belt) at 11:45 a.m. tomorrow. A win over the Cougars sends Southern Miss to the final dual of the day for the contenders' bracket against (4) UNCW, (6) ULM or (7) Mercer.
(3) Southern Miss 4, (6) ULM 1
Second-Team All-Sun Belt selections Zuzanna Michalska and Abby Lewis led off the day with a dominant two-set victory at the second flight. Y-Nhu Do and Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Iustina Corcoz rolled at the fourth pairing to give Southern Miss and early 2-0 advantage.
Jaden White and Margarita Grigoreva clinched the dual with a two-set win at the fifth pairing to ensure Southern Miss a berth in the winners' bracket. Kitija Martini Adamsone and Giovanna Gurgel Bahia paired up at the 3s and took the first set 21-13 before falling 21-12 in set two. The Golden Eagle third pairing rallied and played an extended third set but held off ULM's Paige Ingersoll and Izabella Zukowska for a 20-18 third set win.
At the top flight, Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda fell in the first set to Abby Ryno and Claire Williamson but forced a third set with a 21-19 set two. In the third, Ryno and Williamson sent the set to extra points where they defeated the Golden Eagle 1s 18-16 to give ULM its only point of the dual.
Box Score
1. Abby Ryno/Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM) 21-15, 19-21, 18-16
2. Zuzanna Michalska/Abby Lewis (USM) def. Katie Felts/Avery Hunter (ULM) 21-14, 21-9
3. Kitija Martini Adamsone/Giovanna Gurgel Bahia (USM) def. Paige Ingersoll/Izabella Zukowska (ULM) 21-13, 12-21, 20-18
4. Y-Nhu Do/Iustina Corcoz (USM) def. Maddie Peterson/Brooke Bankston (ULM) 21-16, 21-12
*5. Jaden White/Margarita Grigoreva (USM) def. Calli Otjen/Samantha Rodriguez (ULM) 21-14, 21-14
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5*, 3, 1
(2) Georgia State 5, (3) Southern Miss 0
Southern Miss advanced to the final dual of the day with a berth in the semifinals on the line against (2) Georgia State. The Golden Eagles and Panthers are the only Sun Belt Conference teams that did not play each other in the regular season.
The Sandy Panthers took the first point of the dual at flight four with Kealy Dirner and Ella Mozeleski knocking off Do and Corcoz in two sets, 21-14 and 21-16. Michaela Jefferson and Danica Singleton made it 2-0 for Georgia State with a three-set victory over Michalska and Lewis at the 2s.
The top flight of Savannah Ebarb and Bella Troncale clinched the Sandy Panthers' berth in the semifinals with a two-set victory, defeating Dennis and McAda 21-16 and 26-24. Kaylie Drysdale and Ellie Nevill picked up a two-set win at the fifth pairing over White and Grigoreva while Nolana Nuez and Adeline Thompson won via third set forfeit over Martini and Bahia. The third flight scored stood 11-8 in favor of GSU before a Southern Miss forfeit forced the end of the day.
Box Score
*1. Savannah Ebarb/Bella Troncale (GSU) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM) 21-16, 26-24
2. Michaela Jefferson/Danica Singleton (GSU) def. Zuzanna Michalska/Abby Lewis (USM) 21-15, 19-21, 15-5
3. Nolani Nuez/Adeline Thompson (GSU) def. Kitija Martini Adamsone/Giovanna Gurgel Bahia (USM) 16-21, 21-18, 15-8 (Medical forfeit in set three at 11-8)
4. Kealy Dirner/Ella Mozeleski (GSU) def. Y-Nhu Do/Iustina Corcoz (USM) 21-14, 21-16
5. Kaylie Drysdale/Ellie Nevill (GSU) def. Jaden White/Margarita Grigoreva (USM) 21-13, 21-15
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1*, 5, 3
2026 Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship
Thursday, April 21
Match 1 – (4) UNCW def. (5) College of Charleston, 4-1
Match 2 – (2) Georgia State def. (7) Mercer, 5-0
Match 3 – (3) Southern Miss def. (6) ULM, 4-1
Match 4 – (1) Coastal Carolina def. (4) UNCW, 3-2
Match 5 – (2) Georgia State def. (3) Southern Miss, 5-0
Friday, April 22
Match 6 – (6) ULM vs. (7) Mercer – 10 a.m.
Match 7 – (3) Southern Miss vs. (5) College of Charleston – 11:45 p.m.
Match 8 – Match 6 winner vs. (4) UNCW – 1:30 p.m.
Match 9 – (1) Coastal Carolina vs. (2) Georgia State – 3:15 p.m.
Match 10 – Match 7 winner vs. Match 8 winner – 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 23
Match 11 – Match 10 winner vs. Match 9 loser – 10 a.m.
Match 12 – Championship between Match 9 winner and Match 11 winner – 1 p.m.
With the loss to Georgia State, Southern Miss falls to the contenders' bracket and will take on (5) College of Charleston (8-21, 2-3 Sun Belt) at 11:45 a.m. tomorrow. A win over the Cougars sends Southern Miss to the final dual of the day for the contenders' bracket against (4) UNCW, (6) ULM or (7) Mercer.
(3) Southern Miss 4, (6) ULM 1
Second-Team All-Sun Belt selections Zuzanna Michalska and Abby Lewis led off the day with a dominant two-set victory at the second flight. Y-Nhu Do and Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Iustina Corcoz rolled at the fourth pairing to give Southern Miss and early 2-0 advantage.
Jaden White and Margarita Grigoreva clinched the dual with a two-set win at the fifth pairing to ensure Southern Miss a berth in the winners' bracket. Kitija Martini Adamsone and Giovanna Gurgel Bahia paired up at the 3s and took the first set 21-13 before falling 21-12 in set two. The Golden Eagle third pairing rallied and played an extended third set but held off ULM's Paige Ingersoll and Izabella Zukowska for a 20-18 third set win.
At the top flight, Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda fell in the first set to Abby Ryno and Claire Williamson but forced a third set with a 21-19 set two. In the third, Ryno and Williamson sent the set to extra points where they defeated the Golden Eagle 1s 18-16 to give ULM its only point of the dual.
Box Score
1. Abby Ryno/Claire Williamson (ULM) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM) 21-15, 19-21, 18-16
2. Zuzanna Michalska/Abby Lewis (USM) def. Katie Felts/Avery Hunter (ULM) 21-14, 21-9
3. Kitija Martini Adamsone/Giovanna Gurgel Bahia (USM) def. Paige Ingersoll/Izabella Zukowska (ULM) 21-13, 12-21, 20-18
4. Y-Nhu Do/Iustina Corcoz (USM) def. Maddie Peterson/Brooke Bankston (ULM) 21-16, 21-12
*5. Jaden White/Margarita Grigoreva (USM) def. Calli Otjen/Samantha Rodriguez (ULM) 21-14, 21-14
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5*, 3, 1
(2) Georgia State 5, (3) Southern Miss 0
Southern Miss advanced to the final dual of the day with a berth in the semifinals on the line against (2) Georgia State. The Golden Eagles and Panthers are the only Sun Belt Conference teams that did not play each other in the regular season.
The Sandy Panthers took the first point of the dual at flight four with Kealy Dirner and Ella Mozeleski knocking off Do and Corcoz in two sets, 21-14 and 21-16. Michaela Jefferson and Danica Singleton made it 2-0 for Georgia State with a three-set victory over Michalska and Lewis at the 2s.
The top flight of Savannah Ebarb and Bella Troncale clinched the Sandy Panthers' berth in the semifinals with a two-set victory, defeating Dennis and McAda 21-16 and 26-24. Kaylie Drysdale and Ellie Nevill picked up a two-set win at the fifth pairing over White and Grigoreva while Nolana Nuez and Adeline Thompson won via third set forfeit over Martini and Bahia. The third flight scored stood 11-8 in favor of GSU before a Southern Miss forfeit forced the end of the day.
Box Score
*1. Savannah Ebarb/Bella Troncale (GSU) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM) 21-16, 26-24
2. Michaela Jefferson/Danica Singleton (GSU) def. Zuzanna Michalska/Abby Lewis (USM) 21-15, 19-21, 15-5
3. Nolani Nuez/Adeline Thompson (GSU) def. Kitija Martini Adamsone/Giovanna Gurgel Bahia (USM) 16-21, 21-18, 15-8 (Medical forfeit in set three at 11-8)
4. Kealy Dirner/Ella Mozeleski (GSU) def. Y-Nhu Do/Iustina Corcoz (USM) 21-14, 21-16
5. Kaylie Drysdale/Ellie Nevill (GSU) def. Jaden White/Margarita Grigoreva (USM) 21-13, 21-15
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1*, 5, 3
2026 Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship
Thursday, April 21
Match 1 – (4) UNCW def. (5) College of Charleston, 4-1
Match 2 – (2) Georgia State def. (7) Mercer, 5-0
Match 3 – (3) Southern Miss def. (6) ULM, 4-1
Match 4 – (1) Coastal Carolina def. (4) UNCW, 3-2
Match 5 – (2) Georgia State def. (3) Southern Miss, 5-0
Friday, April 22
Match 6 – (6) ULM vs. (7) Mercer – 10 a.m.
Match 7 – (3) Southern Miss vs. (5) College of Charleston – 11:45 p.m.
Match 8 – Match 6 winner vs. (4) UNCW – 1:30 p.m.
Match 9 – (1) Coastal Carolina vs. (2) Georgia State – 3:15 p.m.
Match 10 – Match 7 winner vs. Match 8 winner – 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 23
Match 11 – Match 10 winner vs. Match 9 loser – 10 a.m.
Match 12 – Championship between Match 9 winner and Match 11 winner – 1 p.m.
– #SMTTT –
Players Mentioned
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