LAKELAND, Fla.- The Ave Maria University beach volleyball team dropped their opening match of the 2025 season on Saturday, losing 5-0 to NCAA Division II Florida Southern College on their home courts. The Gyrenes took two of the five matches with the Mocs to a third set, and showed promise entering conference play next weekend.

The most successful Gyrene teams against Florida Southern were at the third and fourth flights. At the third flight, Beatriz Rissi and Greta Heiney forced a third set, winning 21-18 in the second after a 21-14 defeat in the first. Rissi and Heiney would come up just short in the third set, falling 15-6 to the FSC pair of Hailey Carefoot and Reagan Carlton.

At the fourth flight, the duo of DeAnna Barrett and Caroline Myers, both returners, followed a similar script. Barrett and Myers dropped a 21-15 decision in the first set, then rallied for a 21-15 win of their own in the second. Unfortunately, the Moc duo of Hayley St. Martin and Mary Olivia Muti bounced back, taking the match with a 15-7 win in the third.

Florida Southern won the other three matches in straight sets, with the closest being a 21-17, 21-19 defeat by Ryan Getz and Adriana Bravo at the second set. Florida Southern boasted a 23-11 record last season, and won three matches at the year-end AVCA Small College Beach Nationals.

The defending Sun Conference champions will open Sun Conference play next weekend on the road. AMU will take on the Royals of Warner University on Saturday. Ave Maria will take on William Carey, Mobile, and Loyola on March 7 and 8 in Mobile before the home opener, which will see the Gyrenes play two more opponents from the NCAA Division II Sunshine State Conference - Barry and Eckerd - at the Suppa Malec Beach Courts on March 11.