GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – [SCHEDULE & RESULTS | BRACKET] Saturday concluded the 2024 NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball Invitational with Vanguard (Calif.) defending its invitational title at the Greeneville Beach Volleyball Courts in Greeneville, Tenn.
Semifinal 1: Vanguard (Calif.) def. Arizona Christian, 3-2
In the first wave, Maddi Nash and Madison Arnold at the two’s position and Bailey Coffin and Logan Daniels at the four’s position put Vanguard up two points as the match moved to the second wave.
Misty McCall and Mia Scheepens put Arizona Christian on the board with a win at the one’s position. The one’s were closely followed by the five’s, where Amaya Brown and Emily Katzer of ACU tied the match.
It came down to the three’s position. The match went to a third set where Vanguard trailed for most of the set until the momentum swung in the Lion’s favor. Paige Cutwright and Gianna Pecile closed out the match with a 15-13 set three win to advance Vanguard to the finals.
The three matches that Vanguard won were all completed in three sets.
Vanguard advanced to the invitational final for the third consecutive year for a shot to defend its title.
Semifinal 2: OUAZ (Ariz.) def. Corban (Ore.), 3-2
In the first wave, Mattea Wilson and Olivia Andersh at the two’s position and Shea Marovich and Dayana Raygoza at the four’s position gave OUAZ the two-point advantage heading into the second wave.
Cammie Masanda and Sydney Sanford, at the five’s position, were the first team to put a point on the board for Corban. The Warriors tied the match after Emmi Marks and Nicole Bantilan closed out their match at the three’s position.
It came down to the one’s pairs where Summer Hans and Diana Enriquez closed out the win for OUAZ. Hans and Enriquez were the first pair to beat Corban’s Megan Dennis and Emma Bischoff this week.
All five matches were completed in two sets.
The Spirit advanced to the finals for the first time in program history for a chance to win their first title.
Championship: Vanguard (Calif.) def. OUAZ (Ariz.), 3-2
In the first wave, Wilson and Andersh at the two’s position and Marovich and Raygoza at the four’s position once again gave OUAZ the two-point advantage going into the second wave.
Vanguard scored its first point with a win by Hannah Wilmes and Emma Galloway at the one’s position. The three’s followed suit as Paige Cutwright and Gianna Pecile tied the match after a 2-0 win.
As the one’s and three’s finished their matches, the five’s started a third set. Everyone gathered around the five’s court where Kortney Hitt and Anna Broadhead of Vanguard faced Cheyenne Higgins and Gabriella Corrales of OUAZ. Hitt and Broadhead were on a mission to win the match and held Higgins and Corrales to nine points in the final set to win the title.
The Lions are the only team to complete a reverse sweep this week.
This is the second consecutive title for Vanguard.
All-Tournament Team
Summer Hanks, OUAZ
Misty McCall, Arizona Christian
Mia Scheepens, Arizona Christian
Olivia Andersh, OUAZ
Diana Enriquez, OUAZ
Emma Galloway, Vanguard
Hannah Wilmes, Vanguard
Megan Dennis, Corban
Mattea Wilson, OUAZ
Alexcis Morris, Saint Katherine (Calif.)
Pair of the Year: Summer Hanks and Diana Enriquez, OUAZ
Most Valuable Player: Misty McCall, Arizona Christian
Coach of the Year: Kris Dorn, Vanguard
