USC Beach Volleyball Defeats ULM and FAU on Day One of Carolina Classic

By: USC SID

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — With wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Florida Atlantic, the South Carolina beach volleyball team improved to 8-3 on the season.

Carolina opened the day with a 5-0 win over Louisiana-Monroe and closed the day with a 3-2 victory over Florida Atlantic.

All five of South Carolina’s victories against ULM came in straight sets. Jade Vitt and Delaney Wood got the Gamecocks on the board with a 21-14, 21-7 win over Catherine Griffith and Delaney Driver at No. 4. Erin Neuenfeldt and Katie McCormick followed with a 21-10, 21-11 victory over Bayleigh Hoffman and Tara Jenkins on court 5.

Julia Mannisto and Shannon Williams secured the match for the Gamecocks when they dropped Hope Pawlick and Taylor Zaeske 22-20, 21-13 at the top spot.

With a 3-0 lead for Carolina, Sarah Blomgren and Aubrey Ezell added another point for the Gamecocks when they defeated Hadley Swartz and Kori Simpson 21-17, 21-15 at No. 2, while Macie Tendrich and Katie Reilly finished the match with a 21-12, 21-15 victory at No. 3.

In the exhibition match, Lista Darby and Lauren Percy topped Becca Brown and Jennifer McClendon 21-17, 16-21, 18-16.

In the dual with FAU, the Gamecocks struck first with a 21-18, 21-18 win by Vitt and Wood on court 4 over Natalie Fraley and Nicole Grant, but the Owls responded with 23-21, 21-10 victory at No. 5 by Ashlan Cunningham and Julia Lewkowicz over Neuenfeldt and McCormick.

Florida Atlantic gained the lead when Delaney Clesen and Gabby Dischler edged Mannisto and Williams 21-18, 21-13 in the No. 1 spot, but Blomgren and Ezell evened the score at 2-2 when they defeated Heather Weiss and Brittany Pelliteri 21-18, 21-17 at No. 2.

Tendrich and Reilly earned their ninth win of the season when they dropped Andrea Galinis and Chelsey Tekavec 21-18, 21-16 on the No. 3 court to clinch the win for the Gamecocks.

In the exhibition match, Darby and Percy went to three sets but earned a 14-21, 21-13, 15-13 win over Jazmine Barker and Nicole Navarro.

South Carolina is back in action Sunday at 1 p.m. against North Florida and at 5 p.m. against Jacksonville State.

Dual Results
South Carolina 5, Louisiana-Monroe 0
1: Julia Mannisto/Shannon Williams (SC) def. Hope Pawlick/Taylor Zaeske (ULM) 22-20, 21-13
2: Sarah Blomgren/Aubrey Ezell (SC) def. Hadley Swartz/Kori Simpson (ULM) 21-17, 21-15
3: Macie Tendrich/Katie Reilly (SC) def. Kaitlyn Shearer/Claire Crossfield (ULM) 21-12, 21-15
4: Jade Vitt/Delaney Wood (SC) def. Delaney Driver/Catherine Griffith (ULM) 21-14, 21-7
5: Erin Neuenfeldt/Katie McCromick (SC) def. Bayleigh Hoffman/Tara Jenkins (ULM) 21-10, 21-11
Exh.: Litsa Darby/Lauren Percy (SC) def. Becca Brown/Jennifer McClendon (ULM) 21-17, 16-21, 18-16

South Carolina 3, Florida Atlantic 2
1: Delaney Clesen/Gabrielle Dischler (FAU) def. Julia Mannisto/Shannon Williams (SC) 21-18, 21-13
2: Sarah Blomgren/Aubrey Ezell (SC) def. Heather Weiss/Brittany Pelliteri (FAU) 21-18, 21-17
3: Macie Tendrich/Katie Reilly (SC) def. Andrea Galinis/Chelsey Tekavec (FAU) 21-18, 21-16
4: Jade Vitt/Delaney Wood (SC) def. Natalie Fraley/Nicole Grant (FAU) 21-18, 21-18
5: Ashlan Cunningham/Julia Lewkowciz (FAU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Katie McCormick (SC) 23-21, 21-10
Exh.: Litsa Darby/Lauren Percy (SC) def. Jazmine Barker/Nicole Navarro (FAU) 14-21, 21-13, 15-13