COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina beach volleyball team went 1-1 on Sunday to finish the Carolina Challenge at 3-1 overall. The Chants defeated Southern Miss 3-2 in the first match of the day and then fell to nationally-ranked South Carolina 5-0.
With the Sunday split, the Sandy Chants moved to 7-4 overall on the season.
Match 1: Coastal Carolina 3, Southern Miss 2
The Sandy Chants opened up the final day of the Carolina Challenge with a 3-2 win over Southern Miss.
The team of
Lucy Campbell and
Martine Kragholm opened the match with a 21-18, 21-17 win at No. 2 to give the Chants an early 1-0 lead.
After Southern Miss won on courts No. 3 and No. 4 to take a 2-1 lead, the Chants closed out the match with wins at No. 1 and No. 5 to pick up the come-from-behind win.
Down 2-1 in the match, the pair of
Irena Drobnjak and
Sarlota Svobodova picked up a big win at No. 1 at 21-16, 11-21,18-16 to tie the match up at 2-2.
The tandem of
Kalin Eske and
Kendra Lukacs followed with a hard-fought 13-21, 23-21, 15-13 win on court No. 5 to hand the Chanticleers the 3-2 match win.
Match 2: No. 16 South Carolina 5, Coastal Carolina 0
Coming off a win in the first contest, the Chanticleers would not sneak up on the No. 16 South Carolina Gamecocks in the afternoon matchup, as the Gamecocks swept the Chants 5-0.
Despite being swept in the five-match bout, the Chants put up a valiant effort in the top-two flights, as the sophomore tandem of Sovbodova and Drobnjak pushed the duo USC duo of Skylar Allen and Alyssa Keller in both sets before suffering a 21-17, 21-17 loss on court No. 1, while CCU's team of Campbell and Kragholm fell 21-9, 21-18 at No. 2 to Katie Smith and Jordan Smith.
The other close contest was at the No. 5 flight, as Eske and Lukacs bounced back from a first-set 21-5 loss to force the second set to extra points before falling 22-20 to Morgyn Greer and Carly Schnieder.
It was the Chants' second loss of the season to the nationally-ranked Gamecocks.
The Chants are back in action next weekend at the College of Charleston Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, March 20-21.
Results
Match 1: Coastal Carolina 3, Southern Miss 2
1.
Sarlota Svobodova/
Irena Drobnjak (CCU) def.
Kylie Grandy/
Abbey Wilson (USM) - 21-16, 11-21, 18-16
2.
Lucy Campbell/
Martine Kragholm (CCU) def.
Breleigh Favre/
Olivia Hepworth (USM) - 21-18, 21-17
3.
Hallie Phelan/
Haley Hop (USM) def.
Sarah Riedell/
Ellie Hanford (CCU) - 21-17, 21-15
4.
Valeria Siakidou Papakyriakou/
Kai Norman (USM) def.
Carli Ginther/
Emma Gonzalez (CCU) - 24-22, 21-23, 15-11
5.
Kendra Lukacs/
Kalin Eske (CCU) def. Kaylie Beck/Melanie Miller (USM) - 13-21, 23-21, 15-13
Order of finish: (2, 3, 4, 1, 5)
Match 2: No. 16 South Carolina 5, Coastal Carolina 0
1. Skylar Allen/ Alyssa Keller (USC) def.
Sarlota Svobodova/
Irena Drobnjak (CCU) – 21-17, 21-17
2. Katie Smith/Jordan Smith (USC) def.
Lucy Campbell/
Martine Kragholm (CCU) – 21-9, 21-18
3. Madison Brabham/Abby Carroll (USC) def.
Sarah Riedell/
Ellie Hanford (CCU) – 21-10, 21-8
4. Jess Vastine/Hannah Mackenhausen (USC) def.
Carli Ginther/
Emma Gonzalez (CCU) – 21-10, 21-9
5. Carly Schnieder/Morgyn Greer (USC) def.
Kendra Lukacs/
Kalin Eske (CCU) – 21-5, 22-20
Order of finish (3, 2, 4, 5, 1)
