TEMPE, ARIZ. — The 17th-ranked South Carolina beach volleyball team went 1-1 on the first day of competition on Friday at the Sun Devil Challenge at the PERA Club.

The Gamecocks opened the day with a 5-0 victory over Colorado Mesa but later fell to No. 6 Florida State. With the split, Carolina is now 1-1 on the season.

“We showed a lot of potential and fight today,” said head coach Moritz Moritz. ” Considering we had a player in each of our six pairs making their collegiate beach volleyball debuts, I believe we played at a high level. We will continue to work to improve, and our focus rests solely on our next test. It’s a step in the right direction. We feel energized and are excited to keep taking steps forward.”

In the Gamecocks’ first dual, the No. 5 pair of Litsa Darby and Darian Dozier and No. 4 duo of Jade Vitt and Katie McCormick got Carolina off to a strong start. Darby and Dozier got South Carolina on the board after a quick 21-4 win in the first set and 21-15 victory in the second set over Natalee Todd and Rachel Moralez. Vitt and McCormick defeated Ali Suvornic and Zie Edwards by the scores of 21-13 and 21-17 to give the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead.

Sarah Blomgren and Aubrey Ezell cruised past CMU’s Hana Peterman and Naomi Pinnecose in the No. 2 spot by the scores of 21-12 and 21-8 to clinch the win for Carolina.

Macie Tendrich and Katie Reilly gave the Gamecocks their fourth point as they topped the Mavericks’ Kiricket Adelman and Megan Piannetti 21-15 in the first set and edged them 21-9 in the second set.

The Gamecocks’ No. 1 pair of Julia Mannisto and Shannon Williams closed out the match with a 21-13 win in the first set and a 21-15 victory in the second set to defeat Taylor Woods and Erin Perez.

Erin Neuenfeldt and Delaney Wood dropped Celest Henderson and Alyssa Chutka 21-7 and 21-10 in the exhibition match.

In the Florida State match, the Gamecocks fell behind 2-0 after the first wave of pairs suffered losses at Nos. 5 and 4. Darby and Dozier lost in two sets to Hailey Luke and Katherine Piessy by the scores of 21-14 and 21-14. The Seminoles’ No. 4 duo of Annie Montgomery and Kayla Joyce then gave Florida State the two-point advantage when they edged Vitt and McCormick 18-21, 21-17 and 15-8.

FSU secured the win as Jace Pardon and Julie Brown topped the Gamecocks’ No. 1 pair of Mannisto and Williams 21-11 and 21-11.

The Seminoles’ No. 3 pair of Vanessa Fiere and Sierra Sanchez gave Florida State a 4-0 lead after defeating Tendrich and Reilly 21-17 and 21-17. The Gamecocks’ tandem of Blomgren and Ezell then fell in two sets to Kristina Pelletteri and Victoria Paranagua by the scores of 21-16 and 21-16 to end the dual.

In the exhibition match, Neuenfeldt and Wood went back and forth with Mary Serger and Blyss Harkness before falling in three sets by the scores of 19-21, 21-18, and 15-9.

South Carolina is back in action on Saturday for day two of the Sun Devil Challenge. The Gamecocks will face New Mexico at 4 p.m. and tournament host Arizona State at 9:15 p.m.

Dual Results
No. 17 South Carolina 5, Colorado Mesa 0
No. 1: Julia Mannisto/Shannon Williams (SC) def. Taylor Woods/Erin Perez (CMU) 21-13, 21-15
No. 2: Sarah Blomgren/Aubrey Ezell (SC) def. Hana Peterman/Naomi Pinnecose (CMU) 21-12, 21-8
No. 3: Macie Tendrich/Katie Reilly (SC) def. Kiricket Adelman/Megan Piannetti (CMU) 21-15, 21-9
No. 4: Jade Vitt/Katie McCormick (SC) def. Ali Suvornic/Zie Edwards (CMU) 21-13, 21-17
No. 5: Litsa Darby/Darian Dozier (SC) def. Natalee Todd/Rachel Moralez (CMU) 21-4, 21-15
Exh.: Erin Neuendfelt/Delaney Wood (SC) def. Celest Henderson/Alyssa Chutka (CMU) 21-7, 21-10

No. 6 Florida State 5, No. 17 South Carolina 0
No. 1: Jace Pardon/Julie Brown (FSU) def. Julia Mannisto/Shannon Williams (SC) 21-11, 21-11
No. 2: Kristina Pelletteri/Victoria Paranagua (FSU) def. Sarah Blomgren/Aubrey Ezell (SC) 21-16, 21-16
No. 3: Vanessa Fiere/Sierra Sanchez (FSU) def. Macie Tendrich/Katie Reilly (SC) 21-17, 21-17
No. 4: Annie Montgomery/Kayla Joyce (FSU) def. Jade Vitt/Katie McCormick (SC) 18-21, 21-17, 15-8
No. 5: Hailey Luke/Kathrine Piessy (FSU) def. Litsa Darby/Darian Dozier (SC) 21-14, 21-14
Exh.: Mary Serger/Blyss Harkness (FSU) def. Erin Neuenfeldt/Delany Wood (SC) 19-21, 21-18, 15-9