North Alabama Beach Volleyball hosted the Shoals Beach Bash at the UNA Beach Volleyball Courts on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28.
The Lions earned victories against Spring Hill and Eastern Kentucky University on Friday, and proceeded to dominate against Tusculum and Austin Peay on Saturday. This 4-0 victory marks their sixth sweep for the year, as well as earning a program first: concluding a weekend invitational with four sweeps.
Day One of the bash gave the Lions five victories, three of which were won in straight sets. Match 1 was played against Spring Hill on five courts.
Paige Griner and Sarah Larkin Lewis competed on court 1, holding their opponents to just 13 points in the first set.
Selma Robinson and Jennah Atchley competed on court 2, winning both sets.
Hailey Benesz and Lucy Wedding competed on court 4. This pair fought back in the third set to come out victorious, holding their opponents to just 8 points.
Brooke Bolden and Gaby Harnden competed on court 4, winning both sets.
Abby Robertson and Karsyn Griffin competed on court 4, also holding their opponents to just 8 points in the third set.
Kiana Adamson and Amelia Tomlinson competed in the extra match, winning both sets.
In match 2 on Friday, the Lions concluded gameplay the same way as it began, with five victories against EKU. This time each match was won in straight sets.
Audrey Gauthier and Robinson competed on court 1, winning both sets.
Griner and Lewis competed on court 2 and earned their second win of the day.
Atchley and Bolden competed on court 3, fighting in the first set to win in 25-23. A typical match is won at 21 points.
Wedding and Benesz competed on court 4 and also earned their second win of the day.
Emma White and Harden competed on court 5, fighting all the way to 31 points to earn that first set.
Griffin and Robertson competed in the extra match.
Day Two of the bash earned the Lions five more victories, all earned in two sets. Again, match 1 was played on five courts, with the Lions taking on Tusculum.
Gauthier and Robinson competed on court 1, holding their opponents to 14 and 15 points, respectively.
Lewis and Griner competed on court 2, holding their opponents to 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Atchley and Bolden competed on court 3 and held their opponents to 14 and 15 points, respectively.
Benesz and Wedding competed on court 4 and held their opponents to just 11 points in the second set.
White and Harnden competed on court 5, holding their opponents to 10 and 13 points, respectively.
Adamson and Tomlinson competed in the extra match, defeating their opponents 21-12 and 21-16.
Match 2 on Saturday was played again Austin Peay, but the Lions reigned victorious on all five courts.
Gauthier and Robinson, Griner and Lewis, Atchley and Bolden, Wedding and Benesz, and White and Harden all defeated their opponents. Three pairs beat their opponents in straight sets, and the other two pairs fought to win in the third set.
The Lions will compete in Atlanta on April 3-4 at the GSU Diggin’ Duals. They expect to compete against Georgia, Mercer, South Florida and UAB.
