TUCSON, Ariz. – On the first day of the Bear Down Beach Tournament, Arizona State beach volleyball split its matches, beating North Florida 3-2 and falling to No. 15 Arizona 3-2 on Friday.
After extending the winning streak to six, Arizona State (8-4, 1-3 Pac-12) suffered a loss to in-state rival Arizona. The two teams will play twice this year, so each match counts as a half point in the Territorial Cup.
Seniors Oluoma Okaro and Ashley Wenz remain perfect in their matches since pairing together seven matches ago. Three of the matches in the streak have gone to three sets, including one today against North Florida.
Match One – ASU 3, North Florida 2
In the rematch of an earlier match this season, the Ospreys played the Sun Devils tough, but Arizona State still came out on top for the sixth win in a row. Just last weekend, ASU swept UNF.
The top duo came up clutch, winning their match in three. After Oluoma Okaro and Ashley Wenz won their first set, they dropped the second. However, they came out strong in the third, winning 15-6 to take the match and clinch the dual win. The other two wins came from Katelyn Carballo and Katie Cross on court two and Samantha Plaster and Kate Baldwin on court four. Both won their matches in straight sets. The new pairing of Carballo and Cross played strong in their first match together, winning 21-12, 21-19.
Results (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 4, 1*, 5)
1) Oluoma Okaro/Ashley Wenz (ASU) def. Antonia Harrison/Chaney Howard (UNF) 21-17, 13-21, 15-6
2) Katelyn Carballo/Katie Cross (ASU) def. Lauren Galinis/Brittany Pase (UNF) 21-12, 21-19
3) Nicole DeBolt/Madilyn McCarty (UNF) def. Cierra Flood/Maddy Salazar (ASU) 21-13, 21-17
4) Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Dana Roskic/Callie Workman (UNF) 23-21, 21-15
5) Carolyn Cain/Blaire Register (UNF) def. Emily Anderson/Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 21-15, 27-25
Match Two – ASU 2, No. 15 Arizona 3
The winning streak came to an end against the Wildcats. Arizona won the first three dual points to clinch the win. Arizona State did win the matches on courts one and three, but by that point the dual match had already been decided. The matches on courts three, four and five all went to three.
Okaro and Wenz continued their winning streak by taking their match in two. The two of them have yet to lose a match together. Carballo and Cross won their first set before dropping the second. The third set took extra points to decide, but the Sand Devils were able to finish it, winning 17-15.
Results (5, 4, 2*, 1, 3)
1) Oluoma Okaro/Ashley Wenz (ASU) def. Olivia Hallaran/Mia Mason (ARIZ) 21-17, 21-16
2) Natalie Anselmo/Madison Rigdon (ARIZ) def. Cierra Flood/Maddy Salazar (ASU) 21-14, 21-18
3) Katelyn Carballo/Katie Cross (ASU) def. Jonny Baham/Brooke Burling (ARIZ) 21-15, 18-21, 17-15
4) Sarah Blacker/Jasmine Safar (ARIZ) def. Emily Anderson/Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 20-22, 21-11, 15-9
5) Ainise Havili/Dana Parker (ARIZ) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 11-21, 25-23, 17-15
The tournament will continue on Saturday with matches against New Mexico and Louisiana-Monroe at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. MST, respectively.
After extending the winning streak to six, Arizona State (8-4, 1-3 Pac-12) suffered a loss to in-state rival Arizona. The two teams will play twice this year, so each match counts as a half point in the Territorial Cup.
Seniors Oluoma Okaro and Ashley Wenz remain perfect in their matches since pairing together seven matches ago. Three of the matches in the streak have gone to three sets, including one today against North Florida.
Match One – ASU 3, North Florida 2
In the rematch of an earlier match this season, the Ospreys played the Sun Devils tough, but Arizona State still came out on top for the sixth win in a row. Just last weekend, ASU swept UNF.
The top duo came up clutch, winning their match in three. After Oluoma Okaro and Ashley Wenz won their first set, they dropped the second. However, they came out strong in the third, winning 15-6 to take the match and clinch the dual win. The other two wins came from Katelyn Carballo and Katie Cross on court two and Samantha Plaster and Kate Baldwin on court four. Both won their matches in straight sets. The new pairing of Carballo and Cross played strong in their first match together, winning 21-12, 21-19.
Results (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 4, 1*, 5)
1) Oluoma Okaro/Ashley Wenz (ASU) def. Antonia Harrison/Chaney Howard (UNF) 21-17, 13-21, 15-6
2) Katelyn Carballo/Katie Cross (ASU) def. Lauren Galinis/Brittany Pase (UNF) 21-12, 21-19
3) Nicole DeBolt/Madilyn McCarty (UNF) def. Cierra Flood/Maddy Salazar (ASU) 21-13, 21-17
4) Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) def. Dana Roskic/Callie Workman (UNF) 23-21, 21-15
5) Carolyn Cain/Blaire Register (UNF) def. Emily Anderson/Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 21-15, 27-25
Match Two – ASU 2, No. 15 Arizona 3
The winning streak came to an end against the Wildcats. Arizona won the first three dual points to clinch the win. Arizona State did win the matches on courts one and three, but by that point the dual match had already been decided. The matches on courts three, four and five all went to three.
Okaro and Wenz continued their winning streak by taking their match in two. The two of them have yet to lose a match together. Carballo and Cross won their first set before dropping the second. The third set took extra points to decide, but the Sand Devils were able to finish it, winning 17-15.
Results (5, 4, 2*, 1, 3)
1) Oluoma Okaro/Ashley Wenz (ASU) def. Olivia Hallaran/Mia Mason (ARIZ) 21-17, 21-16
2) Natalie Anselmo/Madison Rigdon (ARIZ) def. Cierra Flood/Maddy Salazar (ASU) 21-14, 21-18
3) Katelyn Carballo/Katie Cross (ASU) def. Jonny Baham/Brooke Burling (ARIZ) 21-15, 18-21, 17-15
4) Sarah Blacker/Jasmine Safar (ARIZ) def. Emily Anderson/Lauren Weintraub (ASU) 20-22, 21-11, 15-9
5) Ainise Havili/Dana Parker (ARIZ) def. Kate Baldwin/Samantha Plaster (ASU) 11-21, 25-23, 17-15
The tournament will continue on Saturday with matches against New Mexico and Louisiana-Monroe at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. MST, respectively.