Siesta Key, FL. -- On day one of the Small College National Championships on the beaches of Siesta Key, Florida Principia earned a 3-2 victory over NAIA St. Thomas of Miami Gardens, FL, and dropped matches to NAIA Webber International University of Babson Park, FL and to NAIA neighbor Missouri Baptist.
The Sandy Panthers began the day competing against a very strong Webber University who took the match with ease. Prin's #5 team of Emily Tippetts and Amanda Roberts managed to take a set from Webber, but lost in the deciding tie breaker game.
The next match pitted Principia versus St. Thomas University – two well matched teams. Prin's #5 team of Tippetts and Roberts got the victory, as did the 4s pair of Makena Patterson and Victoria Vandiver and the #2s team of Sophia Hathaway and Noelle Shoemake. The 3s Cha Cha Fisher and Devon Marunde took STU to a third game but came up short. The Panthers took the team win 3-2 over STU.
The final match of their day was in a 20+ mph blustery wind – wow! The players on all teams fought to stay focused after a long day of beach ball, and to stay off of their heels to get the best ball control possible. Shoemake and Hathaway had the lone win of the match at #2. Tippetts and Roberts (#5) and Patterson and Vandiver (#4) both took their match to a third game, but couldn't close it out.
The Panthers finish up pool play tomorrow morning, and then will continue into bracket play.
