DELAND, Fla. (March 13, 2026) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team completed opening day of the Stetson Spring Invitational on Friday, falling to No. 15 Stetson and FGCU in DeLand, Fla.
North Alabama opened against the Atlantic Sun Conference foes with the challenge of the ranked Hatters and the Eagles, which received votes in the AVCA Collegiate Beach Poll. The Hatters took all five courts in the first dual, but not without competitive bouts from the top three flights. UNA claimed two points against the Eagles, but a deciding match on court three resulted in FGCU taking the dual, 3-2.
Four Lions registered wins against FGCU in graduate Audrey Gauthier, senior Selma Robinson, senior Lucy Wedding and freshman Emma White. Gauthier and Robinson tallied a victory from the top flight, while Wedding and White secured a win from court five.
Match 1 — #15 Stetson 5, North Alabama 0
The first dual went in favor of the Hatters with a 5-0 win. Courts two and three were the most competitive as both went into three-set battles. Graduate Sarah Larkin Lewis and sophomore Paige Griner took the second set from flight two with a 28-26 victory. Sophomores Jennah Atchley and Brooke Bolden also won a set on court three, starting the match with a hard-fought 24-22 win.
The flights both went into win-by-two scenarios, but Stetson's second and third flights ultimately took the bouts.
Court 1: Maria Ozaeta/Marta Carro (STET) def. Selma Robinson/Audrey Gauthier (UNA), 21-19, 21-16
Court 2. EJ Cudmore/Julia Radelczuk (STET) def. Paige Griner/Sarah Larkin Lewis (UNA), 21-13, 26-28, 16-14
Court 3: Katie Camp/Lucie Nosalkova (STET) def. Jennah Atchley/Brooke Bolden (UNA), 22-24, 21-16, 20-18
Court 4: Julia Czurylo/Zoe Flueckiger (STET) def. Hailey Benesz/Mabrey Whitehead (UNA), 21-5, 21-13
Court 5: Madeline Camp/Cayla Sutton (STET) def. Lucy Wedding/Emma White (UNA), 21-13, 21-18
Order of Finish: (4,1,5,2,3)
Match 2 — FGCU 3, North Alabama 2
In a battle of two quality ASUN teams, FGCU narrowly pulled through to escape defeat. The Eagles claimed the first point from court two, but Wedding and White immediately tied the dual at one apiece with a 21-14, 21-19 victory from court five over Emma Soncrant and Vanessa Moriarty. Gauthier and Robinson gave UNA the 2-1 advantage after a 22-20, 21-16 battle from court one over Alexis Keeter and Ava Lilliquist. The Eagles tied the dual again with a court four win.
Court three decided the dual, with UNA's Hailey Benesz and Jennah Atchley striking first with a 21-14 first set win. FGCU's Andrea Dietz and Sydney Majick responded with a 21-11 second set, and the two saw the match out with a 15-7 third set to clinch the dual.
Court 1: Selma Robinson/Audrey Gauthier (UNA) def. Alexis Keeter/Ava Lilliquist (FGCU), 22-20, 21-16
Court 2. Erin Miller/Nicole De Oliveira (FGCU) def. Paige Griner/Sarah Larkin Lewis (UNA), 21-8, 21-10
Court 3: Andrea Dietz/Sydney Majick (FGCU) def. Hailey Benesz/Jennah Atchley (UNA), 14-21, 21-11, 15-7
Court 4: Kaitlyn Beck/Elaina Millaway (FGCU) def. Mabrey Whitehead/Brooke Bolden (UNA), 21-17, 24-22
Court 5: Lucy Wedding/Emma White (UNA) def. Emma Soncrant/Vanessa Moriarty (FGCU), 21-14, 21-19
Order of Finish: (2,5,1,4,3)
COMING UP NEXT
The Lions continue the Stetson Spring Invitational with day-two bouts vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Southern Miss on Saturday. UNA faces the Islanders at 9:30 a.m. CT, followed by the weekend-finale against the Golden Eagles at 2:30 p.m. CT.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
