TUCSON, Ariz.– The Arizona Beach Volleyball team opened their season at the Cactus Classic with a strong performance in their first home event of the year. The Sand Cats secured a 4-1 victory over Oregon before facing a tough 5-0 loss against Grand Canyon.
Kylee Fitzsimmons and Brooke Blutreich took on Oregon's Bella Gamache and Ella Tyus. Fitzsimmons and Blutreich battled through long rallies, but fell just short in both sets, dropping a tight 22-20 first set before Oregon sealed the win with a 21-17 second-set victory.
Adri Nieves Papaleo and Kate Phillips were in control from the start against Oregon's Landree Coats and AJ Slojkowski. The Arizona duo used strong serving to put pressure on their opponents and their skills were on full display as they cruised to a 21-14, 21-9 victory.
Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker delivered one of the most dominant performances of the day for Arizona, shutting down Gwen Fife and Sofia Taylor in straight sets. Zilliken's aggressive net play and Walker's passing left Oregon struggling. The Arizona pair executed and secured a dominant 21-9, 21-4 win.
Annie Kost and Brooke Boyko showed grit in their matchup against Natasha George and Liz Rossi. The duo controlled the first set, winning 21-10. In the second set, Oregon pushed back to force a deuce. Kost and Boyko remained composed under pressure, pulling out a 22-20 win to clinch another point for Arizona.
Jamie Streit and Katie Lambeth engaged in a three-set battle against Kamilah Checani and Isabel Patterson. After losing the first set 22-20, the Arizona pair bounced back with a dominant second-set win (21-14). In the deciding third set, Streit and Lambeth maintained their energy, overpowering their Oregon opponents with sharp offensive plays to win 15-9 and secure Arizona's fourth point of the match.
During the second match of the day, Kylee Fitzsimmons and Brooke Blutreich fought hard against Grand Canyon's Katie Keefe and Rhea Kohl in a three-set battle. The Arizona duo kept pace in the first set but fell 21-18. They responded with an impressive 21-15 win in the second set. However, GCU regrouped and took the third set 15-11 to claim the match.
Adri Nieves Papaleo and Kate Phillips had a back-and-forth battle on Court 2. After struggling in the first set (10-21), they found their rhythm in the second, playing more aggressively to win 21-19. The deciding set was tight, but GCU edged them out 15-12 in the final moments.
Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker were locked in another three-set match against Becca and Jessica Drake. The Arizona duo struggled in the first set, dropping it 21-14, but they found their groove in the second, winning 21-18. The third set was a battle, and Grand Canyon won 15-12.
Annie Kost and Brooke Boyko faced a tough matchup against Karynn Garrow and Sophia Hladyniuk. After a slow start in the first set (11-21), they made adjustments and fought back to win the second 21-18. However, the GCU pair responded well in the third, controlling the pace to take the final set 15-8.
Jamie Streit and Katie Lambeth gave great effort on Court 5, keeping both sets competitive against Madi Bogle and Regan Holmer. Despite their strong defensive plays and well-placed attacks, they were unable to gain the upper hand, falling in two close sets, 21-18, 21-17.
On day 1 of the Cactus Classic, Arizona showcased its talent in a 4-1 win over Oregon. Despite the loss to Grand Canyon, the Sand Cats had several close matches, pushing their opponents to the limit. They will look to build on their early-season experience and bounce back stronger in their upcoming matches.
The Sand Cats take on Stetson Saturday at 11:00 am and Boise State at 2:00 pm for the continuation of Arizona's Cactus Classic at Bear Down Beach.
Arizona – 4, Oregon – 1
Court 1: Brooke Blutreich/Kylee Fitzsimmons (ARIZ) def. Ella Tyus/Bella Gamache (ORE), 22-20, 21-17
Court 2: Adri Nieves Papaleo/Kate Phillips (ARIZ) def. Landree Coats/AJ Slojkowski (ORE), 21-14, 21-9
Court 3: Ashlyn Zilliken/Madeline Walker (ARIZ) def. Gwen Fife/Sofia Taylor (ORE), 21-9, 21-4
Court 4: Annie Kost/Brooke Boyko (ARIZ) def. Natasha George/Liz Rossi (ORE), 21-10, 22-20
Court 5: Jamie Streit/Katie Lambeth (ARIZ) def. Kamilah Checani/Isabel Patterson (ORE), 20-22, 21-14, 15-9
Arizona – 0, Grand Canyon – 5
Court 1: Katie Keefe/Rhea Kohl (GCU) def. Kylee Fitzsimmons/Brooke Blutreich (ARIZ), 21-18, 15-21, 15-11
Court 2: Adrianna Ferro/Ines Piret (GCU) def. Adri Nieves Papaleo/Kate Phillips (ARIZ), 21-10, 19-21, 15-12
Court 3: Becca Drake/Jessica Drake (GCU) def. Ashlyn Zilliken/Madeline Walker (ARIZ), 21-14, 18-21, 15-12
Court 4: Karynn Garrow/Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Annie Kost/Brooke Boyko (ARIZ), 21-11, 18-21, 15-8
Court 5: Madi Bogle/Regan Holmer (GCU) def. Jamie Streit/Katie Lambeth (ARIZ), 21-18, 21-17
