Huntington Beach, Calif.- After going 12-0 against the GSAC in the regular season, OUAZ Beach Volleyball continued their undefeated season against GSAC opponents as they win the Championship Game against #3 The Master's to go undefeated in the tournament. The Spirit earned the title in dramatic fashion on Thursday afternoon, outlasting The Master's University in a gritty 3-2 battle at the GSAC Championship. With the win, OUAZ not only brings home the conference crown but also secures a coveted spot in the NAIA National Tournament, set to be held in Greenville, Tennessee later this month. Coach Viri Serrano continues her impressive first year as head coach of the Spirit, earning her first conference championship.Â
Flight 4 – OUAZ Wins (21-19, 21-19)
The Spirit struck first as Shayna Martinez and Grace Hughes battled through two nail-biting sets to defeat Ashlyn Unruh and Isabela Rodriguez. With the win, OUAZ took the early momentum and a 1-0 lead in the match.
Flight 2 – TMU Wins (19-21, 14-21)
The Master's responded in Flight 2, with Zoe Yates and Faith Wada getting the best of Amey Rainaud and Katy Shockey. Despite a strong start from the OUAZ pair, TMU pulled ahead in both sets to tie the overall match at 1-1.
Flight 1 – OUAZ Wins (21-13, 21-12)
Olivia Andersh and Eliana Dean put on a strong performance in Flight 1, defeating Evi Roberts and Annika Gudnason. Their strong play helped the Spirit retake the lead, 2-1.
Flight 5 – OUAZ Wins (21-15, 21-13)
With the chance to clinch the match, Shea Marovich and Julianne Hemphill delivered. They came out strong against Ellie Niehus and Ellie Unruh and never let up, sealing the victory in straight sets and clinching the GSAC Championship for the Spirit.
Flight 3 – TMU Wins (17-21, 17-21)
In the final completed flight, Grace Colburn and Violet Avila earned a win for TMU over Amanda Carlson and Railey Dykstra. Though the result made it 3-2 overall, the title had already been secured by the Spirit.
With the championship win, OUAZ officially punches its ticket to the NAIA National Tournament, where the Spirit will face the top programs in the country on the sands of Greenville, Tennessee from April 24th-April 26th.
