The University of Arizona beach volleyball team won one of its four matchups during the Sand Cats’ Cactus Classic series that took place at Bear Down Beach from Feb. 28 to March 1. The Sand Cats started off their season 3-1 with a strong showing during the GCU Invitational in Phoenix but was unable to replicate the success during this tournament.
Game 1: Arizona vs. Oregon
Arizona took on the University of Oregon for their first of two matchups on Friday, securing a 4-1 victory over the Ducks. This would be Arizona’s only victory of the series.
Oregon was able to win the first matchup of the day as Kylee Fitzsimmons and Brooke Blutreich fell in straight sets, 22-20 and 21-17 to Oregon’s Bella Gamache and Ella Tyus.
The Sand Cats were able to respond however, with Adriana Nieves Papaleo and Kate Phillips winning both sets with scores of 21-14 and 21-9 to tie the matchup up at 1. Papaleo and Phillips have been a strong pair to start the season, having a record of 6-2 when playing together.
Madeline Walker and Ashlyn Zilliken put Arizona on top 2-1 with dominant 21-9 and 21-4 wins.
Senior blocker Annie Kost and sophomore defender Brooke Boyko engaged in a close matchup with Oregon’s Natasha George and Liz Rossi. Each duo was able to take a set, entering the third with a tie. Kost and Boyko were able to prevail in the third set by a score of 22-20 to gain another point for Arizona.
The final match against Oregon saw senior defender Jamie Streit and freshman split blocker Katie Lambeth win their match in three sets after falling in the first. Arizona defeated Oregon by a score of 4-1 to win their first matchup of the classic.
Game 2: Arizona vs. No. 18 GCU
Arizona took on GCU for their second of two matches on Friday.
Similar to earlier in the day, Fitzsimmons and Blutreich played the first match for Arizona, falling to GCU Katie Keefe and Rhea Kohl in a three-set showdown to get GCU the early point.
Papaleo and Phillips’ hot start to the season was slowed down by Adrianna Ferro and Ines Piret. Despite the Sand Cats winning the second set 21-19, Oregon clinched set three with a score of 15-12, to put GCU ahead 2-0.
Just like Papaleo and Phillips, the pair of Zilliken and Walker also fell in three sets to GCU Becca and Jessica Drake to go down 3-0 and allow GCU to clinch the win. Kost and Boyko as well as Streit and Lambeth fell in their matches, giving GCU the 5-0 victory.
Game 3: Arizona vs. No. 20 Stetson
Arizona started the second day of the Classic facing off against No. 20 ranked Stetson University.
Fitzsimmons and Blutreich took on Katie Camp and Maria Ozaeta for the first match of the day. The pairs split the first two sets as Arizona came back with a 21-16 second set win. However, Camp and Ozaeta won set three 15-13, giving Stetson a 1-0 lead.
Papaleo and Phillips were able to even up the score with 21-13 and 21-15 wins over Stetsons Youna Coens and Grace Goudy.
With the score leveled out at 1, Zilliken and Walker faced off against Marta Carro and Julia Radelczuk, ultimately falling in three sets as Stetson took a 2-1 advantage.
Stetson clinched the win with Julio Czurylo and Madeline Camp defeating Kost and Boyko in three sets, winning the final set 15-9. The Sand Cats were able to win the final matchup with Meghan O’Meara and Elin Kaiser defeating Stetson’s Vanessa Hurnikova and Hanna Gubik in three sets. Stetson won the matchup by a score of 3-2.
Game 4: Arizona vs. Boise State
Arizona faced off against Boise State University for their final matchup of the Cactus Classic.
Fitzsimmons and Blutreich fell to Sharli O’Neil and Allyson Alden in the first set 22-20, before losing set two 21-12. Boise State’s duo put them up 1-0 with the victory.
The Sand Cats battled back to take a 2-1 lead. Papaleo and Phillips won in three sets, 2-1, after edging out the final set 15-10. Soon after, Zilliken and Walker defeated Avery Allen and Abbie Wolf in straight sets, 21-16, 21-15.
Kost and Kaiser were unable to clinch the win for Arizona, falling in two sets to Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Charlee Ellena by scores of 21-15 and 22-20.
In the final fifth and decisive matchup, Streit and Lambeth lost to Boise State’s Elli Wolthuis and Lily Patock in three sets, losing the third set 15-9. Boise State secured the matchup 3-2 as the Sand Cats finished the classic going 1-3.
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