KENNER, La.- The Ave Maria University beach volleyball team went 2-1 in their second set of Sun Conference matches, earning wins over Loyola University and (RV) University of Mobile at Coconut Beach in Kenner, Louisiana. The Gyrenes did fall to (RV) William Carey University in their second match outside of New Orleans, and left Louisiana with an overall record of 5-1 and a 4-1 mark in SUN play.

The weekend started with the Gyrenes facing host Loyola on Friday, where AMU emerged with a 4-1 win over the Wolfpack. The top of the Gyrene lineup swept past Loyola, with Lily Grasso and Lily Witkoski earning a 25-23, 21-11 victory at the top flight and Reina Thomas and Katie Grose winning 21-17, 21-14 at the number two flight. AMU also got a sweep at the fifth flight, where Abbey Grose and Victoria Schein picking up a 21-11, 21-14 win.

In the middle of the lineup, the matches at the third and fourth flights both went to a third set. Loyola earned their lone win at the third flight, with Brittany Cooper and Samantha Ingram topping AMU's team of Miah Pena and Zelie Kessler, 16-21, 21-17, 15-12. Ave Maria finished their 4-1 win off at the fourth flight, where Alayna Metherd and Hannah Jones rallied from a first set loss to win 16-21, 21-10, 15-10.

Ave Maria and William Carey battled in AMU's second match of the day. Four of the five matches were settled in straight sets, with the bottom of the lineup coming through for the Gyrenes. Metherd and Jones moved to 2-0 on the day with a 21-14, 22-20 win at the fourth flight, while Abbey Grose and Schein were victorious at the fifth flight, 21-16, 21-18.

Friday's second match came down to the battle at the third flight, which was the lone match to go to a third set. AMU's team of Kessler and Pena took the first set, 21-18, but William Carey's duo responded with a 21-6 win in the second set. With the match on the line, the Crusaders emerged with a 3-2 victory thanks to a 15-11 win in the third set.

The Gyrenes were able to salvage the weekend with a win on Saturday, knocking off the Rams of Mobile, 3-2. Ave Maria's advantage in the match came at the top of the lineup, with the top three flights earning victories. Witkoski and Grose won at the top flight by a 21-15, 21-19 score, while the team in the third flight, Pena and Kessler, earned their first win of the weekend with a 21-15, 21-15 win. 

Three of the five matches went to a third set, with the Gyrenes needing just one win to take the match. That win was provided by Thomas and Katie Grose, who rallied from a 21-11 loss in the first set to claim the final two sets by scores of 21-11 and 15-13.

AMU's next matches will be the first home matches of the season, as the Gyrenes will welcome Florida Memorial and St. Thomas to Ave Maria. Those matches are scheduled for March 11, with AMU playing Florida Memorial at 9:00 a.m. and St. Thomas at 11:00 a.m.