TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (February 20, 2026) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team had a two-win day Friday to open the FSU Unconquered Invitational with wins over Cal State Bakersfield and Southeastern Louisiana in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Lions end day one in Florida with a 2-1 record to start the new campaign. UNA dropped the opening dual against No. 18 Georgia State, but North Alabama got the response it needed in dominant wins over Cal State Bakersfield and Southeastern Louisiana.
UNA had nine wins across two duals with six pairs securing victories. Eight players notched two wins in graduate Audrey Gauthier, graduate Sarah Larkin Lewis, senior Selma Robinson, sophomore Paige Griner, sophomore Mabrey Whitehead, sophomore Brooke Bolden, sophomore Jennah Atchley and freshman Emma White.
Senior Hailey Benesz was victorious against Southeastern Louisiana along with freshman Gaby Harnden.
Match 1 — #18 Georgia State 5, North Alabama 0
UNA came up short in the opening dual with the Sandy Panthers taking all five courts. No. 18 Georgia State won four of the five flights in two sets, but flight four came down to three sets. Atchley and Bolden won the opening set vs. Kealy Dirner and Kaebre Sullivan, but the GSU duo overcame the dropped first set en route to a 17-21, 21-17, 16-14 win.
Court 1: Savannah Ebarb/Bella Troncale (GSU) def. Selma Robinson/Audrey Gauthier (UNA), 21-18, 21-15
Court 2. Michaela Jefferson/Ellie Neville (GSU) def. Paige Griner/Sarah Larkin Lewis (UNA), 21-14, 21-19
Court 3: Kaylie Drysdale/Ella Mozeleski (GSU) def. Hailey Benesz/Lucy Wedding (UNA), 21-19, 21-14
Court 4: Kealy Dirner/Kaebre Sullivan (GSU) def. Jennah Atchley/Brooke Bolden (UNA), 17-21, 21-17, 16-14
Court 5: Noalani Nuez/Kate Phelan (GSU) def. Emma White/Mabrey Whitehead (UNA), 21-19, 21-13
Order of Finish: (3,5,1,2,4)
Match 2 — North Alabama 4, Cal State Bakersfield 1
The Lions rebounded from the opening defeat to No. 18. Georgia State to claim its first win of the season over Cal State Bakersfield. Straight-set victories from the top two and bottom two flights led to UNA tallying its first win.
Robinson and Gauthier secured the first win with a 21-9, 21-12 top-flight triumph over Erika Markentin and Olivia Silacci-Jensen. White and Whitehead notched the second UNA win and their first pair win with a 21-17, 21-6 victory over Vianna Garcia and Aensley Matautia. Lewis and Griner clinched the dual win from court two with a 21-16, 21-10 win over Sophia Anderson and Olivia Ostler.
Atchley and Bolden were able to get their first win together in a 21-18, 21-18 triumph over Ella Ensign and Katey Milne.
Court 1: Selma Robinson/Audrey Gauthier (UNA) def. Erika Markentin/Olivia Silacci-Jensen (CSB), 21-9, 21-12
Court 2. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Paige Griner (UNA) def. Sophia Anderson/Olivia Ostler (CSB), 21-16, 21-10
Court 3: Kendall Kaelin/Vivi Kaelin (CSB) def. Hailey Benesz/Lucy Wedding (UNA), 14-21, 22-20, 15-9
Court 4: Jennah Atchley/Brooke Bolden (UNA) def. Ella Ensign/Katey Milne (CSB), 21-18, 21-18
Court 5: Emma White/Mabrey Whitehead (UNA) def. Vianna Garcia/Aensley Matautia (CSB), 21-17, 21-6
Order of Finish: (1,5,2,4,3)
Match 3 — North Alabama 5, Southeastern Louisiana 0
North Alabama carried its momentum from the second dual, sweeping Southeastern Louisiana in the final dual of the day. All five flights were clinched in two sets as the Lions wrapped up day one with a second win.
Robinson and Gauthier had a second-straight two-set win after taking a 21-10, 23-21 victory over Gabriela Hrubanova and Maggie Paiva from flight no. 1. Bolden and Gaby Harnden had a battle from court five but prevailed over Carley Petty and Emmaleigh Vincent. The dual's clinching win came from Lewis and Griner's 21-15, 21-14 victory over Mia McKinney and Mia Sauers from court two.
White and Whitehead continued UNA's winning ways with a court-four, 21-17, 21-17 triumph over Elizabeth Hardouin and Genevieve Schubert. Benesz claimed her first win of the day after a 21-17, 21-17 victory with Atchley over Makayla Hicks and Cadie Kusy.
Court 1: Selma Robinson/Audrey Gauthier (UNA) def. Gabriela Hrubanova/Maggie Paiva (SLU), 21-10, 23-21
Court 2. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Paige Griner (UNA) def. Mia McKinney/Mia Sauers (SLU), 21-15, 21-14
Court 3: Hailey Benesz/Jennah Atchley (UNA) def. Makayla Hicks/Cadie Kusy (SLU), 21-17, 21-17
Court 4: Emma White/Mabrey Whitehead (UNA) def. Elizabeth Hardouin/Genevieve Schubert (SLU), 21-12, 21-16
Court 5: Brooke Bolden/Gaby Harnden (UNA) def. Carley Petty/Emmaleigh Vincent (SLU), 21-18, 26-24
Order of Finish: (1,5,2,4,3)
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions conclude the FSU Unconquered Invitational with day two matchups vs. No. 8 Florida State at 10:30 a.m. and UAB at 1 p.m.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
