CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – McNeese Cowgirls beach volleyball's historic season came to a close Friday, as the Sandy Pokes fell 3-2 to Houston Christian after defeating New Orleans earlier in the day at the Southland Conference Tournament.
McNeese finishes the season at 23-7 overall and 4-2 in conference, marking the most successful campaign in program history.
The Sandy Pokes opened day two with a 3-1 victory over New Orleans in a dual played to the clinching point format, securing their second win of the tournament. The victory marked the first time in program history that McNeese has won multiple matches at the Southland Conference Tournament.
McNeese split the opening flight against New Orleans, with the match tied 1-1 heading into the second wave. The duo of
McKenna Malone and
Isabella Giarla delivered the clinching point at pair three, sweeping their match 21-18, 21-18 to secure the 3-1 win.
In the afternoon match up, McNeese battled Houston Christian but fell just short in a 3-2 decision.
The Sandy Pokes again split the opening flight, earning a win at pair one to even the match at 1-1. Malone and Giarla added another point at pair five, but Houston Christian claimed the remaining courts to edge out the victory.
vs New Orleans
1 . Sieling, Ellie/Sieling, Cassie (UNO) 2-0 Osgood, Kendall/Moore, McKenzie (McN) 21-9 21-17
2 . Salazar, Ashley/Dow, Brooke (UNO) (Unf.) Simmang, Victoria/Lansing, Rylee (McN) 18-21 17-18
3 . Durant, Bethanie/Russell, Reese (McN) 2-1 Dykstra, Renata/Alexander, Lucci (UNO) 21-16 17-21 15-13
4 . Behneke, Gracie/Cagle, Breanna (McN) 2-0 Salgado, Mona/Lyons, Kylie (UNO) 21-17 21-13
5 . Malone, McKenna/Giarla, Isabella (McN) 2-0 Neal, Lindsey/Madsen, Jordan (UNO) 21-18 21-18
vs Houston Christian
1 . Osgood, Kendall/Moore, McKenzie (McN) 2-1 Palmer, Paige/Melnick, Grace (HCU) 18-21 22-20 15-9
2 . Zeigler, Olivia/Foor, Hannah (HCU) 2-0 Simmang, Victoria/Lansing, Rylee (McN) 21-18 21-12
3 . Vickery, Lauren/Landmark, Alexa (HCU) 2-1 Durant, Bethanie/Russell, Reese (McN) 21-13 19-21 15-13
4 . Sabol, Sophia/Tlevlessova, Dariya (HCU) 2-0 Behneke, Gracie/Cagle, Breanna (McN) 21-17 21-19
5 . Malone, McKenna/Giarla, Isabella (McN) 2-0 Verdejo Lozano, Claudia/Whittemore, Mycah (HCU) 21-16 21-17
