DELAND, Fla. (March 16, 2024) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team wrapped up the Stetson Invitational with three total wins after being edged 3-2 by nationally-ranked Stetson while defeating Jacksonville by a 4-1 final Saturday afternoon.
The Lions complete the weekend outing with a 3-1 record after going 2-0 in the first two matches. North Alabama beat Charleston and UNCW for the first time in program history before securing the third win against the Dolphins. UNA remains undefeated against Jacksonville all-time, extending the series lead to 5-0.
North Alabama began the day with its second ranked opponent of the season — the No. 18 Stetson Hatters. The Lions battled against their Atlantic Sun Conference foe to force three sets in four of the five flights, but the Hatters held on to take the 3-2 home victory.
The Lions had six different pairs with wins across the weekend, with two pairs going 4-0. UNA's second-flight pair of junior Katy Floyd and sophomore Selma Robinson joined fifth-flight pair Sarah Larkin Lewis and Jelena Girod with unbeaten weekends. The teams of Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney and Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford both wrapped up the weekend with three wins.
North Alabama returns home with a 12-4 record while Stetson moves to 11-5. Jacksonville finishes the weekend at 8-10.
Match 1 — Stetson 3, North Alabama 2
North Alabama dropped its opening match to No. 18 Stetson, grabbing wins from the second and fifth flights before the Hatters won one, three and four.
UNA kept it close against nationally-ranked Stetson, taking four of the five courts to three sets. North Alabama and Stetson split the opening two matches after Lewis and Girod picked up a 22-20, 14-21, 19-17 win over Klea Sirois/Kiki Drozd from flight five. Sophomore Selma Robinson and junior Katy Floyd won their 14th match this season but needed three sets for the 17-21, 26-24, 15-8 victory from flight two. The Hatters edged out the remaining two flights en route to their second ASUN win.
Klemperer/Seney suffered just their second loss of the season after falling to Stetson's Tori Clement/Shae Henson in three sets. The two battled back to force a third set, but the Hatters' top pair took the narrow win, 21-19, 16-21, 15-12.
Court 1. Tori Clement/Shae Henson (STET) def. Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney (UNA) 21-19, 16-21, 15-12
Court 2. Selma Robinson/Katy Floyd (UNA) def. Carolina Ferraris/Audrey Gauthier (STET) 17-21, 26-24, 15-8
Court 3. Vanessa Hurnikova/Gabriella Bramante (STET) def. Ryenne Gepford/Mackenzie Martin (UNA) 21-16, 17-21, 15-13
Court 4. Alanna Shields/Lauren Della (STET) def. Martha McLaurin/Kati Anderson (UNA) 21-18, 21-13
Court 5. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA) def. Klea Sirois/Kiki Drozd (STET) 22-20, 14-21, 19-17
Court 6. Hope Dicken/Grace Austin (UNA) vs. Alina Urzua/Julia Czurylo (STET) no result
Match 2 — North Alabama 4, Jacksonville 1
The final dual of the day saw the Lions defeat the Dolphins for their second ASUN win of the season.
The Lions recovered from the early defeat to Stetson with their 12th win of the year, taking the top three flights after splitting the bottom two. Klemperer/Seney and Martin/Gepford avenged their losses with victories from flight one and three to end their day on a high note.
Lewis/Girod earned the first points in their second-straight three-set match. Jacksonville's Miller Reames and Sky Tiedemann pushed the Lions' duo to the final set after winning the first, but the UNA pair held on for the 21-17, 18-21, 15-8 win.
Klemperer/Seney used straight sets to defeat Jacksonville's Anna Erickson/Olivia Szyszkiewicz, 21-12, 21-18, for the second Lions point, while Martin/Gepford used three sets to defeat Katie Martinez/Meredith Mrukowski, 18-21, 21-14, 15-7. Robinson and Floyd rounded out the final UNA win in a 21-17, 23-21 result over Jenna McNamara/Emily Kubicsko
Court 1. Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney (UNA) def. Anna Erickson/Olivia Szyszkiewicz (JU) 21-12, 21-18
Court 2. Selma Robinson/Katy Floyd (UNA) def. Jenna McNamara/Emily Kubicsko (JU) 21-17, 23-21
Court 3. Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford (UNA) def. Katie Martinez/Meredith Mrukowski (JU) 18-21, 21-14, 15-7
Court 4. Claire Mrukowski/Kristina Nika (JU) def. Martha McLaurin/Kati Anderson (UNA) 21-18, 21-5
Court 5. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA) def. Miller Reames/Skye Tiedemann (JU) 21-17, 18-21, 15-8
Court 6. Rachel Hess/Hayden Garnett (JU) vs. Hope Dicken/Grace Austin (UNA) no result
COMING UP NEXT
UNA's next outing will be the Stacheville Beach Bash from March 22-23. The Lions face three-straight ASUN opponents in EKU, Austin Peay and Central Arkansas, first facing the Colonels on Friday, March 22, at 9 a.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
