GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Florida State beach volleyball team (29-6) wrapped up day one of the NCAA Championship with 3-0 loss to second-seeded UCLA. The Seminoles take on USC tomorrow at 9 am CT in the consolation bracket.
“We don’t have to clean up much after today, it was really close,” said head coach Brooke Niles. “At some points in the game, we were not as aggressive as they were from the service line. It is a double elimination tournament and we are going to be ready to battle tomorrow and try to chug through this tournament. We played really tough and they played really tough, it was a battle on all five courts. That was the closest it has been all year. We have to wash that match away and move on to tomorrow. We have to be resilient and bounce back.”
The Noles took three first sets before all five matches got sent to third sets. Juniors Payton Caffrey and Molly McBain were the first match to finish on court four. The Seminole duo took the first set 21-13 before losing the second set 21-19. The Noles fell behind 12-11 in the final set and could not come back losing 15-12.
The Bruins extended their lead to 2-0 with another three-set win on court one. Sophomores Madison Fitzpatrick and Alaina Chacon were in a dogfight in the first set before coming away with a 21-19 win. In the second set, UCLA bounced back to take the set 21-19. Florida State then fell behind 7-0 in the final set before losing it to the McNamara twins 15-7.
UCLA then clinched the match with their third three-set win on court five. Senior Macy Jerger and freshman Kate Privett lost the first set 21-13. They came back to take the second set 21-18. Privett and Jerger jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the third set but the Bruins came back to take the set and the match 15-13.
Florida State will take on USC in the consolation bracket tomorrow at 9 am CT. The winner of that match will take on the winner of Stetson and Hawaii at 12 pm CT. All matches will be live on ESPN 2 and the WatchESPN app.
Florida State 0, UCLA 3
1. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara def. Madison Fitzpatrick/Alaina Chacon 19-21, 21-19, 15-7
2. Sara Putt/Payton Rund vs. Lily Justine/Sarah Sponcil 25-23, 16-21, DNF
3. Brooke Kuhlman/Avery Poppinga vs. Zana Muno/Abby Van Winkle 21-23, 21-18, 7-7 DNF
4. Madi Yeoman/Savvy Simo def. Molly McBain/Payton Caffrey 13-21, 21-19, 15-12
5. Izzy Carey/Linsey Sparks def. Macy Jerger/Kate Privett 21-13, 18-21, 15-13
Order of finish: 4, 1, 5
Match One RecapAfter a morning that began with two upsets, the Florida State beach volleyball team took care of business with a convincing 3-0 over Cal Poly in the first round.
The Noles got out of the gate hot winning four of the five first set and turned that into three quick points. Juniors Molly McBain and Payton Caffrey took care of business on court four dominating Cal Poly. They took an early 9-4 lead in the first set and kept expanding on that lead until taking the set 21-14. It was much of the same in the second set as McBain and Caffrey won the second set 21-12 to give Florida State a 1-0 lead.
Sophomores Madison Fitzpatrick and Alaina Chacon took care of business on court one with a dominant win of their own. They jumped out of the gate hot with an 8-3 lead in the first set and did not let up as they went on to win the set 21-12. Things were close at the technical in the second set as the Seminole duo only led by one. They flipped the script taking 10 of the final 14 points and the match.
Senior Macy Jerger and freshman Kate Privett completed the sweep with a court five win. As a freshman in her first NCAA Championship, Privett was not fazed helping the pair come back from down 8-6. Down 14-13 the Noles won eight of the final 11 points to take the first set 21-17. They finished off the sweep with a 21-14 second set win. The win marked Macy’s 100th career win.
Florida State 0, UCLA 3
1. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara def. Madison Fitzpatrick/Alaina Chacon 19-21, 21-19, 15-7
2. Sara Putt/Payton Rund vs. Lily Justine/Sarah Sponcil 25-23, 16-21, DNF
3. Brooke Kuhlman/Avery Poppinga vs. Zana Muno/Abby Van Winkle 21-23, 21-18, 7-7 DNF
4. Madi Yeoman/Savvy Simo def. Molly McBain/Payton Caffrey 13-21, 21-19, 15-12
5. Izzy Carey/Linsey Sparks def. Macy Jerger/Kate Privett 21-13, 18-21, 15-13
Order of finish: 4, 1, 5
