Mobile, AL. -- In the first match of the day, Principia College Beach volleyball competed against a strong NCAA Division II Spring Hill squad, and despite some gritty and persistent play, came away with a loss.
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In the second match of the day, Principia closed down NAIA William Carey University winning 5 of the 6 matches.
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# 6 exhibition team
Kiona Sperr and coach
Heather Fairbanks were a tough duo – willing to run down any ball, and working hard to hit their shots to take the opponent out of system. They put together a progressive match one, and won in straight sets against William Carey.
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#5
Jessica Bayne and
Anna Webster combined the power and net presence of JB with the backcourt passion of Anna, and the result was a pretty fiery partnership. Although they were a bit outmatched with SHC's combination of solid ball control and a triple threat offense, JB and Anna came back stronger than ever to grab the "w" from William Carey.
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#4
Mesa Goebel and
Sarah Ungerleider played a really tough match against SHC, working very well together and successfully finding the sand to score! In their second match, they won in 2 straight even though they were down 2-7 in both games. They showed great competitive maturity in their comebacks for a 2-0 win!
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#3
Amanda Roberts and
Victoria Vandiver continue to work in great harmony, and their teamwork and communication rise to the occasion. Their game continues to grow, and even amidst some struggles today you could see their IQ of the game in how they attacked the matches!
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#2
Nikki Matters and
Makena Patterson are a blast to watch. There's an energy in their diving and flailing that shows their opponents they won't go down without a fight. In the first match they had too many unforced error to hang with SHC, but they put together a dramatic victory against William Carey staving off many game points in order to take the "w" in two straight games winning game two 26-24.
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#1
Devon Marunde and
Hayden Warner played a fine Spring hill team that challenged their ball control and their defense. They stuck with it, but SHC stayed in control enroute to the victory. However, in the second match against William Carey, the Principia duo played a progressive match – figuring out the opponent's defense and successfully finding sand to score. As Marunde and Warner made them move, it put Principia in the driver's seat and allowed them to settle in and pull away with a decisive win.
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The Sandy Panthers head to Montgomery (Huntingdon College) for a tourney this weekend – until then …..more training on the sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama!
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