No. 13 Sandy Owls drop pair of contests against No. 8 LMU and No. 7 Stanford to open Battle for LA

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – No. 13 Florida Atlantic beach volleyball (7-3) dropped two nationally-ranked battles against No. 8 Loyola Marymount (5-0) 5-0 and No. 7 Stanford (10-3) 3-2 on day one of Battle for LA on Saturday in Los Angeles.

NO. 13 FAU 0 – NO. 8 LMU 5
Kate McLaughlin and Courtney Moon were the first pair to finish for the Sandy Owls, falling 15-21, 9-21 against LMU’s Chloe Hooker and Isabelle Reffel. The Sandy Owls’ twos pair, Christine Jarman and Ellie Austin then fell in a two-setter against LMU’s Abbey Thorup and Cassie Chinn, 15-21 19-21. FAU’s Alivia Orvieto and Stephanie Young then dropped a two-set battle against LMU’s Madi Firnett and Isabelle Tucker, 17-21, 18-21 to clinch the match for the Lions. The Sandy Owls’ Emma Grace Robertson and Jillienne Cangelosi fell in a two-setter against LMU’s Kirstine Garder and Jacinda Ramierez, 18-21, 18-21. Julie Honzovicova and Ashleigh Adams closed out the day for FAU, falling in a tightly contested three-set battle against Melanie Paul and Vilhelminna Prihti, 18-21, 21-19, 9-15.

Scores
1. Melanie Paul/Valma Prihti (LMU) def. Julie Honzovicova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU), 21-18, 19-21, 15-9 (finished fifth)
2. Abbey Thorup/Cassie Chinn (LMU) def. Ellie Austin/Christine Jarman (FAU), 21-15, 21-19 (finished second)
3. Kirstine Garder/Jacinda Ramierez (LMU) def. Emma Grace Robertson/Jillienne Cangelosi (FAU), 21-18, 21-18 (finished fourth)
4. Chloe Hooker/Isabelle Reffel (LMU) def. Courtney Moon/Kate McLaughlin (FAU), 21-15, 21-9 (finished first)
5. Madi Firnett/Isabelle Tucker (LMU) def. Stephanie Young/Alivia Orvieto (FAU) 21-17, 21-18 (finished third)

NO. 13 FAU 2 – NO. 7 STANFORD 3

Austin and Jarman got things started for the Sandy Owls, giving FAU the 1-0 lead after a three-set win against Stanford’s Xolani Hodel and Maddi Kriz, 19-21, 21-15, 17-15. The Cardinal then evened up the match on court four as FAU’s McLaughlin and Moon dropped a three-set fight against Stanford’s Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent, 21-17, 22-24, 4-15. The Sandy Owls’ pair three then put FAU back in front 2-1 after Robertson and Cangelosi captured a straight-set win against the Cardinal’s Maya Harvey and Taylor Wilson, 22-20, 21-18. Stanford then evened up the match after Adams and Honzovicova fell in a two-set match against Stanford’s Charlie Ekstrom and Kate Reilly, 15-21, 19-21. The Cardinal then clinched the match on court five as FAU’s Alivia Orvieto and Stephanie Young fell in a three-setter against Stanford’s Sophie Kubiak and Line Andersson, 22-24, 21-12, 9-15.

Scores
1. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (Stanford) def. Julie Honzovicova/Ashleigh Adams (FAU) 21-15, 21-19 (finished fourth)
2. Ellie Austin/Christine Jarman (FAU) def. Xolani Hodel and Maddi Kriz (Stanford) 19-21, 21-15, 17-15 (finished first)
3. Emma Grace Robertson/Jillienne Cangelosi (FAU) def. Maya Harvey/Taylor Wilson (Stanford), 22-20, 21-18 (finished third)
4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (Stanford) def. Courtney Moon/Kate McLaughlin (FAU), 17-21, 24-22, 15-4 (finished second)
5. Sophie Kubiak/Line Andersson (Stanford) def. Stephanie Young/Alivia Orvieto (FAU) 24-22, 12-21, 15-9 (finished fifth)