CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina women's beach volleyball team split a pair of matches at the Coastal Carolina Invitational in Conway, S.C., on Friday afternoon.
 
The Chants fell to in-state rival the College of Charleston Cougars 4-1 and followed that up with a 4-1 win over the Tampa Spartans.
 
With the split, Coastal Carolina moved to 18-9 overall on the season.
 
Match 1: College of Charleston 4, Coastal Carolina 1
In Coastal's first match, the Chants jumped to the early 1-0 lead over the Cougars as the team of Emma Gonzalez and Irena Drobnjak dispatched Alexa Psotka and Alli Grant Avery in straight sets 21-10, 21-10 on court No. 5.
 
On court No. 4, the tandem of Raychel Ehlers and Madison Allred fell to Tynley Smeltzer and Sofie Vogel 21-19, 22-20 as the Cougars evened the match at 1-1.
 
However, Charleston took the lead on court No. 2, as Ella Reames and Maria Zweig knocked off Elena Sanchez and Ellie Hanford 21-13, 21-16, while Kora Hansen and Emma Falk clinched the match for CofC with a 21-19, 21-18 straight-set win over Coastal's Sarlota Svobodova and Madie Lichty on court No. 3.
 
CCU's Sarah Riedell and Martine Kragholm lost a hard fought 22-20, 21-15 battle to Gabi Bailey and Kyra Thompson on court No. 1 to give the visitors the 4-1 win.
 
Match 2: Coastal Carolina 4, Tampa 1
In their final match of the day, the Sandy Chants rebounded for a 4-1 win over the Spartans.
 
CCU raced out to the early 1-0 lead, as the tandem of Allred and Elhers took down Kalli Cors and Alivia Horn 21-16, 21-13 on court No. 5.
 
Coastal pushed its lead to 2-0 with a win on court No. 4, as the team of Drobnjak and Gonzalez won 20-22, 21-16, 15-9 for the three-set win over Keely Hamilton and Madison Brunick.
 
Coastal's Lichty and Svobodova clinched the match at 3-0 with the 21-13, 21-13 identical straight-set win over Cassidy Ehrie and Angel Williams on court No. 2.
 
However, on court No. 3 Tampa's duo of Hailey Wolfe and Nevaeh Wolfe defeated Sanchez and Hanford 24-22, 21-18 to notch the Spartans' lone win of the match to trail 3-1.
 
CCU's Kragholm and Riedell finished the win by knocking off Julia Oswald and Payton Brunick 22-20, 21-17 on court No. 1 for the final 4-1 margin.
 
The Sandy Chants return to the court on Saturday, April 8, on day two of the Coastal Carolina Invitational in Conway, S.C. The Chants will take on Southeastern Louisiana and Erskine.
 
A link for live stats for all the matches can be found on the Beach Volleyball Schedule page at www.GoCCUsports.com.
 
Results
 
College of Charleston 4,Coastal Carolina 1
1. Bailey, Gabi/Thompson, Kyra (COC) def. Sarah Riedell/Martine Kragholm (CCU) 22-20, 21-15
2. Reames, Ella/Zweig, Maria (COC) def. Elena Sanchez/Ellie Hanford (CCU) 21-13, 21-16
3. Hansen, Kora/Falk, Emma (COC) def. Sarlota Svobodova/Madie Lichty (CCU) 21-19, 21-18
4. Smeltzer, Tynley/Vogel, Sofie (COC) def. Madison Allred/Raychel Ehlers (CCU) 21-19, 22-20
5. Emma Gonzalez/Irena Drobnjak (CCU) def. Avery, Alli Grant/Psotka, Alexa (COC) 21-10, 21-12
Ext. Emma Kunaus/Celia Ryan (CCU) def. Dougherty, Mikaela/Curry, Elizabeth (COC) 21-17, 21-13
 
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1
 
Coastal Carolina 4, Tampa 1
1. Sarah Riedell/Martine Kragholm (CCU) def. Julia Oswald/Payton Brunick (UT) 22-20, 21-17
2. Sarlota Svobodova/Madie Lichty (CCU) def. Cassidy Ehrie/Angel Williams (UT) 21-13, 21-13
3. Hailey Wolfe/Nevaeh Wolfe (UT) def. Elena Sanchez/Ellie Hanford (CCU) 24-22, 21-18
4. Emma Gonzalez/Irena Drobnjak (CCU) def. Keely Hamilton/Madison Brunick (UT) 20-22, 21-16, 15-9
5. Madison Allred/Raychel Ehlers (CCU) def. Kalli Cors/Alivia Horn (UT) 21-16, 21-13
Ext. Leah Williams/Sara Szalay (UT) vs. Sydney Schwanbeck/Riley Melton (CCU) No Result
 
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1
 
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.