PHOENIX – Arizona State beach volleyball opened the season at Grand Canyon University on Saturday, earning a close 3-2 win over No. 16 GCU and a sweep of New Mexico along with a 5-0 loss to No. 15 Loyola Marymount.
"I thought today was good," Arizona State head coach Brad Keenan said. "We had some great battles that in past years we might not have pulled out. Our threes (Katie Cross and Ellyson Lundberg) really stepped up in the big moment against GCU with an awesome crowd from both schools."
Cross and Lundberg won two matches today, both in three sets. In the upset win over Grand Canyon, their match clinched the win for Arizona State (3-2), winning the third set 16-14. Two other pairs also won two matches today: Oluoma Okaro teaming up with Katelyn Carballo at the No. 1 spot, and Samantha Plaster and Kate Baldwin at No. 4.
Match One – No. 15 Loyola Marymount 5, ASU 0
Okaro and Carballo were the only ones to win the opening set for the Sun Devils against the Lions, taking it 21-16. However, their opponents battled to a 22-20 win in the second, forcing a third. ASU was up 13-10, but LMU fought to win 16-14.
Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster also went to a third set after dropping their first one, taking the second set 21-16. Ultimately, the comeback effort fell short as they lost their third set, 15-4.
Results (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1)
The second match was the closest of the day, coming down to the No. 3 pairs to decide the outcome. Cross and Lundberg needed extra points to win both of their sets, the first 23-21 and the third 16-14.
Baldwin and Plaster got the Sun Devils going on the right foot, picking up the first win with a three-set victory. The other win came from Carballo and Okaro at the No. 1 spot, taking the match in two.
Results (Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2, 1, 3*)
Just 15 minutes after the thrilling win against GCU, Arizona State was back in action against New Mexico with all five courts playing simultaneously. The four and five pairs finished up quickly, taking their matches in two sets with Cierra Flood and Ashley Wenz not far behind.
The No. 1 and No. 3 pairs kept it interesting, going to three sets after they both dropped the opening sets. Carballo and Okaro took care of business on court one, winning the third set 15-11. Cross and Lundberg, fresh from their intense match, had to battle again. They won a close third set, 17-15.
Results (Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2*, 1, 3)
"I thought today was good," Arizona State head coach Brad Keenan said. "We had some great battles that in past years we might not have pulled out. Our threes (Katie Cross and Ellyson Lundberg) really stepped up in the big moment against GCU with an awesome crowd from both schools."
Cross and Lundberg won two matches today, both in three sets. In the upset win over Grand Canyon, their match clinched the win for Arizona State (3-2), winning the third set 16-14. Two other pairs also won two matches today: Oluoma Okaro teaming up with Katelyn Carballo at the No. 1 spot, and Samantha Plaster and Kate Baldwin at No. 4.
?? First upset of the season. ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) February 23, 2019
ASU beat No. 16 GCU, 3-2!! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/PzHcWmBlee
Match One – No. 15 Loyola Marymount 5, ASU 0
Okaro and Carballo were the only ones to win the opening set for the Sun Devils against the Lions, taking it 21-16. However, their opponents battled to a 22-20 win in the second, forcing a third. ASU was up 13-10, but LMU fought to win 16-14.
Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster also went to a third set after dropping their first one, taking the second set 21-16. Ultimately, the comeback effort fell short as they lost their third set, 15-4.
Results (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1)
- Reka Orsi Toth / Savannah Slattery (LMU) def. Katelyn Carballo / Oluoma Okaro (ASU) 21-16, 20-22, 14-16
- Emma Doud / Megan Nash (LMU) def. Katie Cross / Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) 16-21, 14-21
- Bo Culo / Megan Rice (LMU) def. Cierra Flood / Ashley Wenz (ASU) 17-21, 21-12
- Sara Kovac / Jessie Prichard (LMU) def. Kate Baldwin / Samantha Plaster (ASU) 16-21, 21-16, 4-15
- Erin Martin / Veronica Nederend (LMU) def. Emily Anderson / Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 19-21, 19-21
The second match was the closest of the day, coming down to the No. 3 pairs to decide the outcome. Cross and Lundberg needed extra points to win both of their sets, the first 23-21 and the third 16-14.
Baldwin and Plaster got the Sun Devils going on the right foot, picking up the first win with a three-set victory. The other win came from Carballo and Okaro at the No. 1 spot, taking the match in two.
Results (Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2, 1, 3*)
- Katelyn Carballo / Oluoma Okaro (ASU) def. Hannah Towne / Anaya Evans (GCU) 21-18, 21-15
- Jessica Stansfield / Bella Bauman (GCU) def. Cierra Flood / Ashley Wenz (ASU) 21-10, 21-14
- Katie Cross / Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) def. Madi Relaz / Mikaela Raudsepp (GCU) 23-21, 18-21, 16-14
- Kate Baldwin / Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Katie Sarber / Esmee Priem (GCU) 21-17, 12-21, 15-10
- Teagan DeFalco / Jamie Walsh (GCU) def. Emily Anderson / Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 21-13, 20-22, 15-12
Just 15 minutes after the thrilling win against GCU, Arizona State was back in action against New Mexico with all five courts playing simultaneously. The four and five pairs finished up quickly, taking their matches in two sets with Cierra Flood and Ashley Wenz not far behind.
The No. 1 and No. 3 pairs kept it interesting, going to three sets after they both dropped the opening sets. Carballo and Okaro took care of business on court one, winning the third set 15-11. Cross and Lundberg, fresh from their intense match, had to battle again. They won a close third set, 17-15.
Results (Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2*, 1, 3)
- Katelyn Carballo / Oluoma Okaro (ASU) def. Dali Rosado / Lauren Twitty (NM) 15-21, 21-17, 15-11
- Cierra Flood / Ashley Wenz (ASU) def. Makayla Tam / Yasmin Tan (NM) 21-10, 21-16
- Katie Cross / Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) def. Carly Beddingfield / Joey Benson (NM) 13-21, 21-14, 17-15
- Kate Baldwin / Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Jaclyn Inclan / Emily Nenninger (NM) 21-19, 21-10
- Emily Anderson / Lauren Weintraub (ASU) def. Claire Nenninger / Abbey Willison (NM) 21-13, 21-10