COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's beach volleyball team opened play in the Palmetto Invitational in Columbia, S.C., on Friday afternoon by going 1-1 on the day.
The Chants knocked off the Jacksonville Dolphins 3-2 before falling to the nationally-ranked No. 16 South Carolina Gamecocks 3-2 in the final match of the day.
With the split, Coastal Carolina moved to 21-10 overall on the season.
Match 1: Coastal Carolina 3, Jacksonville 2
In Coastal's first match on the day, the team of
Emma Gonzalez and
Elena Sanchez staked the Chants to the 1-0 lead with a 12-21, 21-19, 15-11 three-set win over Anna Dunbar and Colleen Ziegelmaier on court No. 5, while the tandem of
Ellie Hanford and
Irena Drobnjak pushed the CCU advantage to 2-0 with a straight-set win 21-19, 21-15 over Katie Martinez and Haley Hart on court No. 4.
On court No. 2, Coastal's
Sarlota Svobodova and
Madie Lichty clinched the match at 3-0 for the Sandy Chants with a 21-14, 21-19 win over Kristina Nika and Cameron Knifton.
However, the Dolphins Sydney Eckhardt and Olivia Szyszkiewicz spoiled the Chant's shutout bid with a 21-9, 26-24 straight-set win on court No. 3 over
Raychel Ehlers and Madison Allred to trail 3-1.
Despite the match being won by Coastal, Jacksonville's Emily Kubicsko and Jenna McNamara earned a three-set win at 23-25, 21-12, 21-19 over CCU's
Sarah Riedell and
Martine Kragholm on court No. 1 for the 3-2 margin.
Match 2: No. 16 South Carolina 3, Coastal Carolina 2
In their final match of the Coastal Carolina Invitational, the Sandy Chants fell behind 1-0 early to the No. 16 Gamecocks as Lizzie Thompson and Peyton Gray knocked off Sanchez and Gonzalez 21-19, 21-16 on court No. 5.
The Chants evened the match at 1-1 with a win on court No. 4, as the team of Allred and Ehlers won in straight sets 21-17, 21-16 over Jolie Cranford and Kennedy Westendorff.
However, on court No. 3 the tandem of Kaeli Crews and Hannah Mackenhausen gave USC a 2-1 advantage with a 21-11, 26-24 win over Hanford and Drobnjak.
No. 16 South Carolina claimed the match at 3-1 with a win on court No. 1, as Skylar Allen and Simone Priebe defeated Kragholm and Riedell 21-18, 22-20 in straight sets.
Despite having lost the match, the duo of Svobodova and Lichty picked up a 26-24, 18-21, 15-13 three-set win over Allison Coens and Lauren Wilcock on court No. 2 to put the final score at 3-2.
The Sandy Chants will wrap up the final day of the Palmetto Invitational in Columbia, S.C., on April 15, versus FGCU and Charleston. Coastal's first match of the day will begin at 11 a.m. ET.
A link for live stats for all the matches can be found on the Beach Volleyball Schedule page at
www.GoCCUsports.com.
Results
Coastal Carolina 3, Jacksonville 2
1. Emily Kubicsko/JennaMcNamara (JU) def.
Sarah Riedell/
Martine Kragholm (CCU) 23-25, 21-12, 21-19
2.
Sarlota Svobodova/
Madie Lichty (CCU) def. Kristina Nika/Cameron Knifton (JU) 21-14, 21-19
3. Sydney Eckhardt/Olivia Szyszkiewicz (JU) def.
Madison Allred/
Raychel Ehlers (CCU) 21-9, 26-24
4.
Ellie Hanford /
Irena Drobnjak (CCU) def. Katie Martinez/Haley Hart (JU) 12-21, 21-9, 15-13
5.
Emma Gonzalez/
Elena Sanchez (CCU) def. Anna Dunbar/Collen Ziegelmaier (JU) 21-19, 21-15
Ext.
Lucy Campbell/
Emma Kunaus (CCU) def. Kari DeYoung/Kelly Erhard (JU) 12-21, 21-19, 15-11
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1
No. 16 South Carolina 3, Coastal Carolina 2
1. Skylar Allen/Simone Priebe (USC) def.
Sarah Riedell/
Martine Kragholm (CCU) 21-18, 22-20
2.
Sarlota Svobodova/
Madie Lichty (CCU) def. Allison Coens/Lauren Wilcock (USC) 26-24, 18-21, 15-13
3. Kaeli Crews/Hannah Mackenhausen (USC) def.
Ellie Hanford /
Irena Drobnjak (CCU) 21-11, 26-24
4.
Madison Allred/
Raychel Ehlers (CCU) def. Jolie Cranford/Kennedy Westendorff (USC) 21-17, 21-16
5. Lizzie Thompson/Peyton Gray (USC) def.
Emma Gonzalez/
Irena Drobnjak (CCU) 21-19, 21-16
Ext. VB Trost/Morgan Downs (USC) def.
Riley Melton/
Sydney Schwanbeck (CCU) 21-15, 21-16
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2
For complete coverage of Coastal Carolina beach volleyball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBeachVB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
