Beach Volleyball | 3/17/2022 3:08:00 PM
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.- The Ave Maria University beach volleyball team continued their winning ways on Saturday, sweeping two Sun Conference matches in Miami Gardens. The Gyrenes earned 5-0 victories over Florida Memorial University and host St. Thomas University, running their record to 5-1 in conference play. The ninth-ranked Gyrenes won all ten matches on the day, including a number of dramatic three-set victories to all but seal a spot in The Sun Conference Tournament next month.
The day started with a match against reigning Sun Conference Tournament champion Florida Memorial. The Gyrenes swept the five matches, but needed a third set to win three of the five. Lily Witkoski won their fifth consecutive beach match with a 20-22, 21-9, 15-11 win at the top spot, while Cabriella Bouterse and Miah Pena won their match at the number two position, 21-18, 13-21, 15-11. The last of the three-set wins was provided by Lily Grasso and Victoria Schein, who were 22-20, 15-21, 15-12 winners at the fourth position.
Ave Maria's third and fifth pairs had an easier time against the Lions, winning in straight sets. Katie Grose and Zelie Kessler, who would eventually earn Sun Conference Pair of the Week honors for their efforts, surrendered just 14 points over two sets in a 21-5, 21-9 victory at the number three spot. The sweep was finished off by the team of Reina Thomas and Abigail Costlow, who were similarly dominant in a 21-4, 21-8 triumph at the number five spot.
Against the host Bobcats of St. Thomas, the Gyrenes were in control of the match from the start, winning four of five matches in straight sets. The lone match to go into a third set came at the top spot, between AMU's Witkoski and Suarez and St. Thomas' Mya Thomas and Dani Femat. Witkoski and Suarez won the first set, 23-21, but Thomas and Femat rallied for a 21-17 win in the second. In the decisive third set, the Gyrene duo squeaked out a 15-13 win to move their record on the season to 6-0.
AMU rolled in the other four matches, with St. Thomas' pairs earning 17 points in a set just once. Pena and Bouterse picked up a 22-20, 21-8 win at the second spot, while Grose and Kessler completed their award-winning week by winning both of their sets by 21-16 scores. Schein and Grasso were winners by scores of 21-10, 21-14, and the Costlow and Thomas team finished it off with a 21-15, 21-10 win.
The Gyrenes will return home Saturday for a pair of matches against the Fire of Southeastern University at the AMU Beach Complex. With a win in the first match, which will be the conference-counting match, the Gyrenes would be fully in control of their own destiny for a top-two seed in next month's conference tournament, which would afford the Gyrenes a first-round bye. First serve of the opening match of the day is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
