TUCSON, Ariz.— The Arizona Beach Volleyball team will travel back home to Tucson to compete in their home opener at Bear Down Beach in Tucson February 28 - March 1. The Sand Cats carry momentum from their opening weekend at the Grand Canyon Invitational to the Cactus Classic.  

Arizona went 3-1 at the GCU Invitational, defeating Saint Mary's (4-1), sweeping Benedictine (5-0) and Ottawa (5-0), with one loss against Grand Canyon (0-5). The Wildcats will face a rematch against Grand Canyon tomorrow (Friday) at 2:00 PM and will also play Oregon, Stetson, and Boise State during the Cactus Classic.

Cactus Classic Match Ups 

Oregon- Arizona leads the series with 8 wins and 1 loss against Oregon, currently on a 5-match winning streak. Their longest win streak is 5 matches, while their only loss came on April 9, 2022. Arizona has never played an away match against Oregon but holds a 3-0 home record and a 4-0 conference record. In their latest matchup on April 24, 2024, Arizona defeated Oregon 3-1.

Grand Canyon- Following their match up from last week, the match history between Arizona and Grand Canyon has been competitive, with GCU leading the series 5-4. Their home and away records are evenly split, with a 2-2 home record and 2-3 away record. The biggest win for Arizona was 4-1 (April 1, 2017), while their closest victory was 3-2 (March 29, 2024). In their latest matchup on February 22, 2025, Arizona lost 0-5 to GCU, marking their current 1-match losing streak.

Stetson- Arizona and Stetson's match record is 2-1. Arizona won their first matchup 3-2 (April 6, 2018) but has since lost two consecutive matches (March 22, 2019, and March 29, 2024). Their only home match resulted in a win (1-0 home record), while they have not played an away match. The most recent matchup on March 29, 2024, ended in a 2-3 loss for Arizona, continuing their losing streak against Stetson.

Boise State- The Arizona and Boise State match history has been largely dominated by Arizona, with a 14- 1 record. Arizona had a 14-match winning streak (2014-2024) before suffering their first-ever loss to Boise State on April 10, 2024 (2-3). They hold a perfect 7-0 home record and a 3-1 away record. Despite the recent loss, Arizona has historically controlled this matchup, winning 9 of the last 10 meetings.

Cactus Classic full match schedule:

Friday, February 28:
MATCH 1 - Boise State vs. Arizona State (9:00 a.m. PT)
MATCH 2 - Grand Canyon vs. Stetson (10:00 a.m.)
MATCH 3 - Arizona vs. Oregon (11:00 a.m.)
MATCH 4 - Arizona State vs. Stetson (12:00 p.m.)
MATCH 5 - Boise State vs. Oregon (1:00 p.m.)
MATCH 6 - Arizona vs. Grand Canyon (2:00 p.m.)

Saturday, March 1:
MATCH 1 - Oregon vs. Arizona State (9:00 a.m. PT)
MATCH 2 - Grand Canyon vs. Boise State (10:00 a.m.)
MATCH 3 - Arizona vs. Stetson (11:00 a.m.)
MATCH 4 - Grand Canyon vs. Arizona State (12:00 p.m.)
MATCH 5 - Stetson vs. Oregon (1:00 p.m.)
MATCH 6 - Arizona vs. Boise State (2:00 p.m.)

NOTING THE WILDCATS  

Adri Nieves Papaleo – Nieves Papaleo has been dominant alongside Kate Phillips. The duo opened the season with a 21-14, 21-9 sweep against Saint Mary's and put up a strong fight against GCU, taking the first set before falling in three. She bounced back in Arizona's 5-0 sweeps, delivering wins (21-6, 21-13 vs. Benedictine Mesa; 21-16, 21-13 vs. Ottawa). 

Kate Phillips – Phillips and Nieves Papaleo controlled their first match (21-14, 21-9) and nearly took a win against GCU. She continued her play in the 5-0 sweeps, overpowering opponents with aggressive offense and finishing shots (21-6, 21-13 vs. Benedictine Mesa; 21-16, 21-13 vs. Ottawa).

Annie Kost – A composed and consistent player, Kost and Brooke Boyko have proven to be a strong pairing. They started with a 21-18, 21-14 win against Saint Mary's but struggled against GCU (20-22, 18-21). They rebounded in the 5-0 sweeps, securing victories (21-9, 21-13 vs. Benedictine Mesa; 23-21, 21-11 vs. Ottawa). 

Brooke Boyko – Boyko and Kost opened with a win (21-18, 21-14 vs. Saint Mary's), though they fell in a battle against GCU. They dominated in Arizona's sweeps, securing straight-set victories against Benedictine Mesa and Ottawa, showing their ability to control momentum and finish strong.

Kylee Fitzsimmons – Fitzsimmons had a tough start, dropping a three-set match against Saint Mary's (15-21, 21-18, 10-15) and a straight-set loss to GCU. However, she and partner Brooke Blutreich bounced back with dominant 5-0 sweep performances, winning 21-10, 21-8 vs. Benedictine Mesa and 21-14, 21-17 vs. Ottawa.

Brooke Blutreich – Blutreich has had an up-and-down start, losing a close three-set battle against Saint Mary's before struggling against GCU. However, she turned things around with strong performances in the sweeps, shutting down opponents with powerful serving and quick defensive moves to win 21-10, 21-8 (Benedictine Mesa) and 21-14, 21-17 (Ottawa).

Madeline Walker – Walker has been a standout performer this season, winning her opening match alongside Crump (21-14, 21-15) before pairing with Ashlyn Zilliken in the next matchups. Despite a close loss to GCU (17-21, 20-22), she rebounded with straight-set victories (21-8, 21-12 vs. Benedictine Mesa; 21-11, 21-10 vs. Ottawa), showcasing her offensive power.

Ashlyn Zilliken – Zilliken and Walker pushed GCU in a tight battle but fell in straight sets. They rebounded in Arizona's 5-0 sweeps, securing dominant wins (21-8, 21-12 vs. Benedictine Mesa; 21-11, 21-10 vs. Ottawa). 

Sadie Moore – A freshman making an immediate impact, Moore and Elin Kaiser earned a three-set victory (16-21, 23-21, 15-12) in their first collegiate match against Saint Mary's. 

Elin Kaiser – Another freshman standout, Kaiser proved her resilience in her debut match with Moore, bouncing back from a first-set loss to win in three. 

Jamie Streit – Streit secured a dominant 21-7, 21-5 win against Benedictine Mesa alongside Katie Lambeth before battling through a tough three-set win (18-21, 21-12, 15-13) vs. Ottawa.

Katie Lambeth – Lambeth's performance in Arizona's 5-0 sweeps was crucial. She and Streit controlled their straight-set win (21-7, 21-5) against Benedictine Mesa before grinding out a tough three-setter against Ottawa.