AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University beach volleyball team officially opened their new home facility on Saturday, playing their first two matches of the 2022 season. The Gyrenes, currently ranked ninth in the nation, started the season with a 3-2 victory over Warner, but could not sweep the day, falling by that same 3-2 score to fourth-ranked Webber.

The Gyrenes and the Royals split the first two matches on the sand, with Ave Maria winning the number four match and Warner winning at number two. AMU's win was provided by the duo of Katie Grose and Zelie Kessler, who rolled past MacKenzie Ratledge and Miranda Manduley in straight sets, 21-10, 21-18. Warner's duo of Savanah Griffin and Eliana Dean won their match in three sets to even the score at one.

Ave Maria then won matches at the first and fifth positions to officially take their season opener. Lily Witkoski and Alejandra Suarez won their match at the top spot, defeating AMU alum McKenzie McKay and Gwen Simpson in straight sets, 21-12, 24-22. Abigail Costlow and Reina Thomas completed the victory with a dominant 21-10, 21-4 victory over Warner's Becca Mack and Shannon Marcellus, marking Costlow's first collegiate victory. 

Two pairs of Gyrenes wrapped up unbeaten days with wins over the fourth-ranked Warriors. In the only match of the five to go to three sets, Witkoski and Suarez earned a win over Cindy Garcia Penazola and Lily Arnold, 19-21, 21-17, 16-14 at the number one spot. Grose and Kessler, who moved up to the third position in the nightcap, defeated Molly Fusarelli and Sara Weisrock, 21-18, 21-11.

Webber took the other three matches in straight sets to take the conference affair. The swing match came at the number four position, in a battle between Webber's Jessica Terry and Kiersten Tisdale and Ave Maria's Victoria Schein and Lily Grasso. The first set was a marathon 31-29 decision, and the second set was also a nailbiter, with the Warrior pair winning 21-19.

Two of the newest members of The Sun Conference are next on the schedule for the Gyrenes. As part of a six-game slate next weekend at Ave Maria, the Gyrenes will face the Rams of the University of Mobile and the Crusaders of William Carey University. AMU will host Mobile Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., and will open play on Saturday with a 9:00 a.m. opening serve against William Carey.