GREENEVILLE, TENN. – The OUAZ Beach Volleyball team had a tale of two duals on Friday at the NAIA National Invitational, but it ended with the Spirit getting into the semifinal round. After defeating Park 5-0 to wrap up pool play, the quarterfinal dual with Ave Maria came down to the final set of the ones flight, where Summer Hanks and Diana Enriquez fought back to push the Spirit into the next round.
(2) OUAZ 5, (3) Park 0
The Spirit came out firing early, taking all five matches against the Pirates. After winning a tough first set 25-23, Mattea Wilson and Olivia Andersh took a 21-17 second set to clinch the first point for OUAZ.
Shea Marovich and Dayana Raygoza traded 21-17 finals in the first and second set, then had to fight hard in the final set. The two battled back to take the third set 15-13, helping the Spirit grab even more momentum prior to the second rotation.
Amanda Carlson and Grace Hughes have been incredibly impressive all tournament long, and it stayed the same in the opener on Friday. The threes flight was unstoppable, winning in straight sets with matching 21-12 scores.
Summer Hanks and Diana Enriquez continued their momentum as well, winning in straight sets for the third time in the tournament. Cheyanne Higgins was put into the lineup on Friday at the fives, and immediately clicked Gabriella Corrales as they won in three sets to give OUAZ the perfect start to the day.
(2) OUAZ 3, (8) Ave Maria 2
Wilson and Andersh scored the first team point once again for OUAZ, winning in straight sets. After a great first set for Marovich and Raygoza, the pair battled until the end, but OUAZ headed into the final rotation of the day tied at one.
Carlson and Hughes were steady for the Spirit, just like they have all tournament long, winning in straight sets at the threes flight. While Higgins and Corrales fought until the end, the dual came down to the ones pair, who were in a battle in the third set.
Hanks and Enriquez dominated the first set, then had it flipped on them in the second set. After falling behind in the third set as each pair drew closer to 15 points, Hanks and Enriquez closed out the match, and the dual, with three straight points and put OUAZ in the NAIA National Invitational semifinal for the first time in program history.
The Spirit get back on the sand on Saturday at 11 a.m., as they face Corban with the chance to play later in the day for the national championship.
