Gamecocks Wrap Up Weekend in FSU Pairs Tournament
March 30, 2014
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The South Carolina sand volleyball team closed out its weekend at the Florida State Invitational in a pairs tournament on Sunday at the FSU Sand Volleyball Complex.
The tournament was broken into two brackets – a Gold Division for the No. 1 and 2 pairs from each team and a Silver Division for the No. 3, 4 and 5 pairs from each team.
The No. 1 pair of Paige Wheeler and Megan Kent produced the best finish for the Gamecocks as they claimed fifth place in the Gold Division Bracket. In the opening round, the South Carolina duo lost to Florida State’s No. 2 pair of Stephanie Pellitteri and Kristian Pellitteri 25-22 to fall into the consolation bracket. Wheeler and Kent then bounced back against familiar faces as they took on teammates Sarah Blomgren and Mikaela Christiaansen and won in three sets, 21-19, 14-21 and 18-16. They were eliminated in their next match against LSU’s No. 1 pair of Meghan Mannari and Katie Lindelow, losing 25-23 and 21-13.
Christiaansen and Blomgren started their day against Florida State’s top pair of Jace Pardon and Aurora Davis and lost 25-14 to drop into the consolation bracket. After losing in three sets to Wheeler and Kent in the next match, Christiaansen and Blomgren claimed seventh place with a win over Jacksonville’s No. 2 pair of Kendall Courtney and Niatha Cullen by the scores of 21-15 and 24-22.
In the silver bracket, the Gamecocks No. 3 pair of Jordan Loney and Jade Vitt lost in their only match in the quarterfinals, dropping a three-set decision to Florida State’s No. 4 pair of Julia Thompson and Annie Montgomery by the scores of 21-13, 16-21 and 15-11.
South Carolina’s No. 4 pair of Litsa Darby and Chynna Ratner won their opening-round match over LSU’s No. 5 pair of Emma Hiller and Briana Hollman, 29-27, to advance to the quarterfinals. However, Florida State’s No. 3 team of Julie Brown and Melanie Pavels eliminated Darby and Ratner in the next match by the scores of 21-4 and 21-12.
The Gamecocks’ No. 5 pair of KoKo Atoa-Williams and Erin Neuenfeldt lost their opening-round match to LSU’s No. 4 pair of Mallorie Pardo and Mimi Eugene, 25-17. The South Carolina tandem got off to a strong start in their consolation bracket match against Jacksonville’s No. 4 pair of Lauren Homrich and Rachel Miller, winning set one 21-14. However, Jacksonville won the next two sets by the scores of 21-17 and 15-11 to eliminate Atoa-Williams and Neuenfeldt.
South Carolina will return to dual play next Saturday and Sunday at College of Charleston. The Gamecocks will face No. 4 Florida State (8 a.m.) and College of Charleston (12 p.m.) on Saturday and No. 9 Georgia State (12 p.m.) on Sunday.
Gold Bracket Results (Pairs Nos. 1 and 2)
Gold Round 1 (1 Game to 25)
Jace Pardon/Aurora Davis (FSU1) def. Mikaela Christiaansen/Sarah Blomgren (SC2) 25-14 Stephanie Pellitteri/Kristina Pellitteri (FSU2) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC1) 25-22
Gold Consolation (Best 2 of 3)
Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC1) def. Mikaela Christiaansen/Sarah Blomgren (SC2) 21-19, 14-21, 18-16
Gold Seventh-Place Match (Best 2 of 3)
Mikaela Christiaansen/Sarah Blomgren (SC2) def. Kendall Courtney/Niatha Cullen (JU 2) 21-15, 24-22
Gold Consolation Quarterfinals (Best 2 of 3)
Meghan Mannari/Katie Lindelow (LSU1) def. Paige Wheeler/Megan Kent (SC1) 25-23, 21-13
Silver Bracket Results (Pairs Nos. 3, 4 and 5)
Silver Round 1 (1 Game to 25)
Chynna Ratner/Litsa Darby (SC 4) def. Emma Hiller/Briana Holman (LSU5) 29-27
Mallorie Pardo/Mimi Eugene (LSU4) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Koko Atoa-Williams (SC5) 25-17
Silver Consolation (Best 2 of 3)
Lauren Homrich/Rachel Miller (JU4) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Koko Atoa-Williams (SC5) 14-21, 21-17, 15-11
Silver Quarterfinals (Best 2 of 3)
Julie Brown/Melanie Pavels (FSU3) def. Chynna Ratner/Litsa Darby (SC4) 21-4, 21-12
Julia Thompson/Annie Montgomery (FSU4) def. Jordan Loney/Jade Vitt (SC3) def. 21-13, 16-21, 15-11
