Gamecocks Wrap Up First Day at Florida State Pairs Challenge

April 18, 2014

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team battled through heavy rains on Friday during pool play to open the Florida State Pairs Challenge at the FSU Sand Volleyball Complex.

The Gamecocks had six pairs competing in five pools of four teams and were able to pick up wins at No. 1, 3 and 5.

South Carolina’s No. 1 pair of Paige Wheeler and Sarah Blomgren earned the first win of the day as they defeated Georgia State’s No. 3 pair of Katelyn Rawls and Sarah Agnew in straight sets, 21-19 and 21-12.

Playing at No. 3, the Gamecock duo of Mikaela Christiaansen and Jade Vitt won their final match of the day, taking down ULM’s No. 2 pair of Michelle McNamee and Bianca Ocana by the scores of 21-19 and 23-21.

The Gamecocks’ No. 5 pair of KoKo Atoa-Williams and Chynna Ratner recorded last win of the day as they defeated South Carolina teammates Morgan LaVigne and Helen Récaborde by the scores of 21-17 and 21-13.

South Carolina’s No. 2 pair of Megan Kent and Jordan Loney narrowly missed getting two wins as they fell in the three sets to Georgia State’s top pair of Katie Madewell and Moriah Bellissimo by the scores of 21-16, 19-21 and 16-14 and the Warhawks’ No. 3 pair of Hadley Swartz and Hope Pawlik by the scores of 17-21, 23-21 and 15-13.

At No. 4 the Gamecocks’ Litsa Darby and Erin Neuenfeldt also came up short in three sets against ULM’s No. 4 pair Alannah Cullum and Rachel Arnason, 21-17, 24-26 and 15-8.

Using the results from Friday, the pairs will be reseeded for pool play on Saturday. Play is set to begin at 8 a.m. at the FSU Sand Volleyball Complex.

FSU Pairs Challenge
Pool A
Sara Olivova/Jansen Button (GSU) def. Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-15, 21-18
Jace Pardon/Aurora Davis (FSU) def. Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-16, 21-7
Mikaela Christiaansen/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Michelle McNamee/Biaca Ocana (ULM) 21-19, 23-21

Pool B
Katie Madewell/Moriah Bellissimo (GSU) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 21-16, 19-21, 16-14
Julie Brown/Melanie Pavels (FSU) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 21-18, 21-18
Hadley Swartz/Hope Pawlik (ULM) def. Megan Kent/Jordan Loney (SC) 17-21, 23-21, 15-13

Pool C
Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) def. Katelyn Rawls/Sarah Agnew (GSU) 21-19, 21-12
Fatma Yildirim/Sarah Wickstrom (FSU) def. Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) 21-16, 21-14
Zuzana Markova/Marcela Araya (ULM) def. Paige Wheeler/Sarah Blomgren (SC) 21-15, 21-10

Pool E
Milani Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-15, 21-8
Annie Montgomery/Julia Thompson (FSU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-19, 21-13
KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 21-17, 21-13

Annie Mongtomery/Julia Thomspson (FSU) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 21-8, 21-9
Milani Pickering/Natalie Wilson (GSU) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 21-19, 21-12
KoKo Atoa-Williams/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Morgan LaVigne/Helen Récaborde (SC) 21-17, 21-13

Pool F
Karlee Kavanaugh/Alexis Elmurr (GSU) def. Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) 21-12, 21-16
Hailey Luke/Sierra Sanchez (FSU) def. Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) 21-10, 21-15
Alannah Cullum/Rachel Arnason (ULM) def. Litsa Darby/Erin Neuenfeldt (SC) 21-17, 24-26, 15-8