TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona State beach volleyball team (9-12) finished the Wildcat Spring Challenge with 1-2 record, defeating Colorado Mesa in the second of three matches Friday in Tucson.
By virtue of the 5-0 sweep over Colorado Mesa, the Sand Devils now have six victories in their last eight matches. The Sun Devils dropped matches to Arizona and California to round out their first and only day at the Wildcat Spring Challenge.
Competing as the number one pairing in all three matches, Kwyn Johnson and Mia Rivera finished the day 1-2. Johnson and Rivera dominated the Colorado Mesa pairing of Woods/Scherr, 21-13 & 21-14, to capture the first point for the Sun Devils. Sydney Palmer and Kara Woodard represented the Sun Devils second pair in two of the three matches.
Seniors Frances Giedraitis and Halle Harker teamed up as the number two pairing in the match against Colorado Mesa, taking the match in three sets to put the Sun Devils up 2-0 in the driver seat of the match.
Ellyson Lundberg and Katelyn Carballo continued to show their continuity and chemistry as part of the number three pairing for all three matches, as they were the only Sun Devil duo to pick up a pair of victories on the day. Lundberg and Carballo swept their final two matches of the day, defeating Colorado Mesa's pairing before taking down toppling No. 14 Arizona's Nady & Watanabe.
Katie Cross and Cierra Flood were slotted as the fourth pairing for the Sun Devils in the first and third matches of the day. Cierra Flood would later pair with Jourdan Parnell at the No. 4 pair, clinching the match for the Sand Devils with their 2-0 sweep of the Colorado Mesa pairing of Todd/Ritter.
The improvement of the fifth pairing of Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster was apparent, as the duo provided three competitive matches. They captured a victory over the Colorado Mesa five pairs, giving the Sand Devils a clean 5-0 sweep. Baldwin and Plaster pushed the No. 15 Arizona five pairs to three sets in the nightcap.
No. 14 California 5, Arizona State 0
1. Alexia Inman/Mima Mirkovic (CAL) def. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) 21-19, 21-19
2. Iya Lindahl/Jessica Gaffney (CAL) def. Sydney Palmer/Kara Woodard (ASU) 21-16, 21-11
3. Madison Dueck/Bryce Bark (CAL) def. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9
4. Mia Merino/Caroline Schafer (CAL) def. Katie Cross/Cierra Flood (ASU) 21-17, 21-15
5. Grace Campbell/Maddie Micheletti (CAL) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 21-18, 21-12
Arizona State 5, Colorado Mesa 0
1. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) def. Taylor Woods/Katie Scherr (CMU) 21-13, 21-14
2. Frances Giedraitis/Halle Harker (ASU) def. Hana Peterman/Megan Gianinetti (CMU) 21-17, 18-21, 16-14
3. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) def. Lindy Dixon/Hailey Crane (CMU) 21-14, 21-11
4. Cierra Flood/Jourdan Parnell (ASU) def. Natalee Todd/Samantha Ritter (CMU) 21-14, 21-11
5. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Ara Norwood/Julia Baskin (CMU) 21-6, 21-9
No. 15 Arizona 4, Arizona State 1
1. Natalie Anselmo/Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) def. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) 21-16, 21-16
2. Stephany Purdue/Hailey Devlin (ARIZ) def. Sydney Palmer/Kara Woodard (ASU) 21-14, 21-15
3. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) def. Kacey Nady/Sara Watanabe (ARIZ) 21-14, 22-20
4. Jonny Baham/Brooke Burling (ARIZ) def. Cierra Flood/Katie Cross (ASU) 21-15, 21-12
5. Makenna Martin/Caroline Cordes (ARIZ) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 16-21, 22-20, 19-17
Up next, the Sand Devils will have a quick turnaround, as they travel back to Tempe to host a pair of matches. It will be a special occasion, as the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball program will honor a five-member senior class. First up, the Sun Devils take on No. 17 Stetson at 3:00 P.M. In the nightcap, the Sun Devils host Vanguard at 7:00 P.M. with Halle Harker, Kwyn Johnson, Frances Giedraitis, Sydney Palmer, and Mia Rivera all being honored prior to the match.
By virtue of the 5-0 sweep over Colorado Mesa, the Sand Devils now have six victories in their last eight matches. The Sun Devils dropped matches to Arizona and California to round out their first and only day at the Wildcat Spring Challenge.
Competing as the number one pairing in all three matches, Kwyn Johnson and Mia Rivera finished the day 1-2. Johnson and Rivera dominated the Colorado Mesa pairing of Woods/Scherr, 21-13 & 21-14, to capture the first point for the Sun Devils. Sydney Palmer and Kara Woodard represented the Sun Devils second pair in two of the three matches.
Seniors Frances Giedraitis and Halle Harker teamed up as the number two pairing in the match against Colorado Mesa, taking the match in three sets to put the Sun Devils up 2-0 in the driver seat of the match.
Ellyson Lundberg and Katelyn Carballo continued to show their continuity and chemistry as part of the number three pairing for all three matches, as they were the only Sun Devil duo to pick up a pair of victories on the day. Lundberg and Carballo swept their final two matches of the day, defeating Colorado Mesa's pairing before taking down toppling No. 14 Arizona's Nady & Watanabe.
Katie Cross and Cierra Flood were slotted as the fourth pairing for the Sun Devils in the first and third matches of the day. Cierra Flood would later pair with Jourdan Parnell at the No. 4 pair, clinching the match for the Sand Devils with their 2-0 sweep of the Colorado Mesa pairing of Todd/Ritter.
The improvement of the fifth pairing of Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster was apparent, as the duo provided three competitive matches. They captured a victory over the Colorado Mesa five pairs, giving the Sand Devils a clean 5-0 sweep. Baldwin and Plaster pushed the No. 15 Arizona five pairs to three sets in the nightcap.
No. 14 California 5, Arizona State 0
1. Alexia Inman/Mima Mirkovic (CAL) def. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) 21-19, 21-19
2. Iya Lindahl/Jessica Gaffney (CAL) def. Sydney Palmer/Kara Woodard (ASU) 21-16, 21-11
3. Madison Dueck/Bryce Bark (CAL) def. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) 16-21, 21-18, 15-9
4. Mia Merino/Caroline Schafer (CAL) def. Katie Cross/Cierra Flood (ASU) 21-17, 21-15
5. Grace Campbell/Maddie Micheletti (CAL) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 21-18, 21-12
Arizona State 5, Colorado Mesa 0
1. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) def. Taylor Woods/Katie Scherr (CMU) 21-13, 21-14
2. Frances Giedraitis/Halle Harker (ASU) def. Hana Peterman/Megan Gianinetti (CMU) 21-17, 18-21, 16-14
3. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) def. Lindy Dixon/Hailey Crane (CMU) 21-14, 21-11
4. Cierra Flood/Jourdan Parnell (ASU) def. Natalee Todd/Samantha Ritter (CMU) 21-14, 21-11
5. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Ara Norwood/Julia Baskin (CMU) 21-6, 21-9
No. 15 Arizona 4, Arizona State 1
1. Natalie Anselmo/Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) def. Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera (ASU) 21-16, 21-16
2. Stephany Purdue/Hailey Devlin (ARIZ) def. Sydney Palmer/Kara Woodard (ASU) 21-14, 21-15
3. Ellyson Lundberg/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) def. Kacey Nady/Sara Watanabe (ARIZ) 21-14, 22-20
4. Jonny Baham/Brooke Burling (ARIZ) def. Cierra Flood/Katie Cross (ASU) 21-15, 21-12
5. Makenna Martin/Caroline Cordes (ARIZ) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 16-21, 22-20, 19-17
Up next, the Sand Devils will have a quick turnaround, as they travel back to Tempe to host a pair of matches. It will be a special occasion, as the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball program will honor a five-member senior class. First up, the Sun Devils take on No. 17 Stetson at 3:00 P.M. In the nightcap, the Sun Devils host Vanguard at 7:00 P.M. with Halle Harker, Kwyn Johnson, Frances Giedraitis, Sydney Palmer, and Mia Rivera all being honored prior to the match.