DELAND, Fla. (March 14, 2026) – The University of North Alabama beach volleyball team claimed a 3-2 victory Saturday afternoon over Southern Miss to conclude the Stetson Spring Invitational in DeLand, Fla.
North Alabama (7-7) wrapped up the outing at Stetson with day two bouts against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Southern Miss. The Lions narrowly fell to the Islanders 3-2 but rebounded with a competitive triumph over the Eagles. It marked the second win this season over Southern Miss, also defeating them 3-2 at the Tiger Beach Challenge on Feb. 27.
Four UNA flights were victorious, led by a 2-0 day from the top flight by graduate Audrey Gauthier and senior Selma Robinson. Graduate Sarah Larkin Lewis and sophomore Paige Griner were also winners in the opening bout vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Along with Gauthier and Robinson, senior Hailey Benesz, senior Lucy Wedding, sophomore Jennah Atchley and freshman Emma White claimed wins against Southern Miss. Benesz and Atchley tallied a pivotal win from court three before Wedding and White decided the dual on court five.
Match 1 — Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3, North Alabama 2
The Islanders took three-straight matches to claim the win, but the top two flights went to North Alabama. Griner and Lewis rallied to defeat Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo and Millie Olsson from court two, 10-21, 21-18, 15-12. Gauthier and Robinson also won in three sets from the top flight over Madison Morrow and Kristin Bobay, 21-19, 22-24, 15-12.
Atchley and Benesz forced three sets from the third flight but fell short against Bryce Ranney and Kaitreanne Chojnacki, 21-10, 18-21, 15-11. The fourth and fifth flights were determined in straight sets.
Court 1: Audrey Gauthier/Selma Robinson (UNA) def. Madison Morrow/Kristin Bobay (TAMUCC), 21-19, 22-24, 15-12
Court 2. Paige Griner/Sarah Larkin Lewis (UNA) def. Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo/Millie Olsson (TAMUCC), 10-21, 21-18, 15-12
Court 3: Bryce Ranney/Kaitreanne Chojnacki (TAMUCC) def. Jennah Atchley/Hailey Benesz (UNA), 21-10, 18-21, 15-11
Court 4: Lizzie Denyer/Ashlyn Rough (TAMUCC) def. Brooke Bolden/Mabrey Whitehead (UNA), 21-15, 21-15
Court 5: Mia Stevens/Saskia Hernandez (TAMUCC) def. Lucy Wedding/Emma White (UNA), 22-20, 21-13
Order of Finish: (4,5,3,2,1)
Match 2 — North Alabama 3, Southern Miss 2
Wedding and White played hero for the Lions, with their match from court five clinching the team victory. The UNA duo rallied from a set down to defeat Giovanna Gurgel Bahia and Margarita Grigoreva in a competitive finale, 20-22, 21-17, 15-13.
Gauthier and Robinson started the dual with a 22-20, 21-19 win from the top flight over Laurel Dennis and Sadie McAda. The Eagles took courts four and two to answer back, but Benesz and Atchley tied the dual with a 26-24, 21-18 triumph over Jaden White and Kitija Martini Adamsone from court three. The win set up the deciding match from court five for Wedding and White.
Court 1: Audrey Gauthier/Selma Robinson (UNA) def. Laurel Dennis/Sadie McAda (USM), 22-20, 21-19
Court 2. Zuzanna Michalska/Abigail Lewis (USM) def. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Paige Griner (UNA), 21-11, 21-18
Court 3: Hailey Benesz/Jennah Atchley (UNA) def. Jaden White/Kitija Martini Adamsone (USM), 26-24, 21-18
Court 4: Y-Nhu Do/Lillie Johnson (USM) def. Mabrey Whitehead/Brooke Bolden (UNA), 21-19, 21-15
Court 5: Lucy Wedding/Emma White (UNA) def. Giovanna Gurgel Bahia/Margarita Grigoreva (USM), 20-22, 21-17, 15-13
Order of Finish: (1,4,2,3,5)
COMING UP NEXT
The March to May comes next for the Lions, traveling to Birmingham, Ala. for weekend action against Austin Peay, South Carolina and UAB from March 20-21.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
