March 8, 2014
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team earned the program’s first-ever win on Saturday as it defeated Jacksonville, 3-2, in a thrilling match at the St. Augustine Beach Pier Pavilion.
In their season-opening match earlier in the day, the Gamecocks (1-1) fell to host North Florida, 4-1.
The Jacksonville match came down to the No. 2 pairs, and Sarah Blomgren and Mikaela Christiaansen propelled South Carolina to the win. After winning a back-and forth first set 28-26 against the Dolphins’ Kendall Courtney and Niatha Cullen, the Gamecock duo dropped the second set 21-17 to head to a deciding third set. Christiaansen and Blomgren jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the set and never looked back on their way to a 15-11 victory to clinch the win for the Gamecocks.
“It’s an amazing experience,” South Carolina head coach Moritz Moritz said. “To see the excitement and the girls really take to the entire experience is huge. It’s a huge step in the right direction for South Carolina sand volleyball. We are very excited.”
The No. 4 pairs match wrapped up first, with Jacksonville’s Emily Laskelle and Mayara Prestes edging Carolina’s KoKo Atoa-Williams and Litsa Darby in three sets by the scores of 16-21, 21-15 and 15-12.
It didn’t take the Gamecocks long to even the match at 1-1, as the No. 5 pair of Erin Neuenfeldt and Chynna Ratner dispatched Jizzian Gesualdo and Alyssa Robertson 21-19, 19-21 and 15-6.
Jordan Loney and Jade Vitt then gave South Carolina a 2-1 lead as they swept Gabriella Roman and Rachel Miller in the No. 3 pairs match by the scores of 22-20 and 21-13.
The Dolphins evened the match at 2-2, as their No. 1 pair of Sammie Strausbaugh and Taylor Nyquist defeated Carolina’s Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent, 21-12 and 21-13, setting the stage for Christiaansen and Blomgren to win the match for the Gamecocks.
In South Carolina’s season-opener against North Florida, Blomgren and Christiaansen secured the Gamecocks’ lone point as they slipped past Anna Budinska and Cari Whitmire in two sets, 21-19 and 21-18.
In the No. 1 pairs match, Wheeler and Kent fell to Dagnija Medina and Kim Hildreth, 21-18 and 21-11. Loney and Vitt came up just short in a back-and forth three-set match with Emily Strack and Britt Claessens at No. 3, falling 23-21, 16-21 and 14-16. On the No. 4 court, Atoa-Williams and Darby lost to Tanner Garbutt and Cameron McGuire 15-21, 21-18 and 11-15. In the No. 5 match, Julie Trembley and Emily Davanzo defeated Carolina’s Neuenfeldt and Ratner, 21-17 and 21-16.
The Gamecocks will be back in action on Sunday at the North Florida Invitational. Carolina will face Florida International at 12:30 p.m. and Florida Atlantic at 3:30.
North Florida 4, South Carolina 1
No. 1 Dagnija Medina/Kim Hilreth (UNF) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 21-18, 21-11
No. 2 Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christiaansen (SC) def. Anna Budinska/Cari Whitmire (UNF) 21-19, 21-18
No. 3 Emily Strack/Britt Claessens (UNF) def. Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC) 21-23, 21-16, 16-14
No. 4 Tanner Garbut/Cameron McGuire (UNF) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Litsa Darby (SC) 21-15, 18-21, 15-11
No. 5 Julie Trembley/Emily Davanzo (UNF) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Chynna Ratner (SC) 21-17, 21-16
South Carolina 3, Jacksonville 2
No. 1 Sammie Strausbaugh/Taylor Nyquist (JU) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC) 21-12, 21-13
No. 2 Sarah Blomgren/Mikaela Christiaansen (SC) def. Kendall Courtney/Niatha Cullen (JU) 28-26, 17-21, 15-11
No. 3 Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC) def. Gabriella Roman/Rachell Miller (JU) 22-20, 21-13
No. 4 Emily Laskelle/Mayara Prestes (JU) def. KoKo Atoa-Williams/Litsa Darby (SC) 16-21, 21-15, 15-12
No. 5 Erin Neuenfeldt/Chynna Ratner (SC) def. Jizzian Gesualdo/Alyssa Robertson (JU) 21-19, 19-21, 15-6
