Tempe, Ariz. — The top-ranked beach volleyball team faced a challenging day of non-conference competition, taking on two NCAA Division I opponents in Tempe. Despite strong effort and competitive rallies throughout the lineup, the Spirit fell in both duals against Florida International and Grand Canyon.

In the first match of the day, OUAZ took on Florida International but came up short across all five flights. Eliana Dean and Maya Blake battled in the top flight but were unable to secure the win. Shayna Martinez and Railey Dykstra competed hard in the No. 2 pairing, while Olga Romero and Shea Marovich, Katy Shockey and Alicia Romero, and Marielle Ramos and Gabriela Corrales each fought through competitive points but ultimately fell as FIU claimed the 0–5 result.

The Spirit returned to the sand to face Grand Canyon in the second duel of the day. Once again, OUAZ saw tough competition across the board. Dean and Blake, along with Martinez and Dykstra, battled in the top flights but were unable to turn the momentum. Shea Marovich and Katy Shockey competed in the No. 3 flight, while Olga Romero and Alicia Romero paired in flight four. Marielle Ramos and Gabriela Corrales rounded out the lineup, but GCU secured the sweep to close out the day.

While the results did not fall in their favor, the Spirit gained valuable experience competing against top-level Division I programs, continuing to prepare for the remainder of the season.

Up Next

The regular season GSAC champions will compete in the GSAC tournament in Mesa, Arizona on Thursday, April 9th and Friday, April 10th.