Top 5 Matches to Watch from the Collegiate Beach Bash
Top 5 Matches to Watch from the Collegiate Beach Bash
The best matches from the 2016 Collegiate Beach Bash, featuring Georgia State, Louisiana State, Alabama-Birmingham, Spring Hill, UNC-Wilmington, and Alabama-Birmingham.
Rally Volleyball's Collegiate Beach Bash was a fall exhibition NCAA beach volleyball tournament at LakePoint Sporting Community in Emerson, Georgia, featuring Louisiana State, Georgia State, South Carolina, Spring Hill, UNC-Wilmington, and Alabama-Birmingham.
A total of 72 matches were played over the course of the day on 10 courts--that's a lot of volleyball! If you're hoping to catch up on the highlights on the event, here are the five matches we recommend watching.
Brooke Weiner/Chelsea Ross (GSU) vs. Katie Zimmerman/Katie Smith (USC)
This match featured the top teams from Georgia State and South Carolina, and was as competitive as one would have expected. The Beach Bash was the college beach volleyball debut for South Carolina freshman Katie Smith and Georgia State graduate student Chelsea Ross, who transferred in from Middle Tennessee State. Highlights in this battle are the smooth hand setting of Smith and Ross' aggressive swings at the net.
Tanna Aljoe, a grad student transfer from North Carolina State to UNCW, paired up with freshman Raquel Rooney for the Collegiate Beach Bash, splitting every single one of their matches. In this showdown with LSU's Katie Lindelow and Maddie Ligon, you can expect to see lots of defensive play and incredible athleticism, particularly from the sophomore Ligon.
Look for both of these duos (should their coaches choose to keep them together for the upcoming season) to make some noise in 2017. LSU's Claire Coppola brings blocking and attacking prowess to go along with Mandi Orellana's top-notch defense and smart, aggressive swings. The Katies complement each other well, with Zimmerman's blocking and Smith's defense covering a lot of court.
Georgia State's LeeAnn Starr and LSU's Taylor Bradley are two pieces of an incredible crop of freshmen joining the NCAA beach ranks this year. Bradley, a fiery and athletic defender, pairs with junior blocker Riley Young, while Starr and Ross test out their partnership. Starr, a product of Cincinnati, Ohio, played in three AVP tournaments over the summer, making the main draw in two.
Sarah Agnew/Georgia Johnson (GSU) vs. Sarah Senft/Payton Gidney (SHC)
Georgia State's Sarah Agnew had a fantastic freshman season in 2014 but has since struggled with injury, culminating in surgery earlier this year. See her back in action in this match, alongside partner Georgia Johnson, a freshman from Brisbane, Australia, and up against Spring Hill's freshman duo of Sarah Senft and Payton Gidney.
Looking for other matches from the 2016 Collegiate Beach Bash? Click here to see the complete archives.
A total of 72 matches were played over the course of the day on 10 courts--that's a lot of volleyball! If you're hoping to catch up on the highlights on the event, here are the five matches we recommend watching.
Brooke Weiner/Chelsea Ross (GSU) vs. Katie Zimmerman/Katie Smith (USC)
This match featured the top teams from Georgia State and South Carolina, and was as competitive as one would have expected. The Beach Bash was the college beach volleyball debut for South Carolina freshman Katie Smith and Georgia State graduate student Chelsea Ross, who transferred in from Middle Tennessee State. Highlights in this battle are the smooth hand setting of Smith and Ross' aggressive swings at the net.
Tanna Aljoe/Raquel Rooney (UNCW) vs. Katie Lindelow and Maddie Ligon (LSU)
Tanna Aljoe, a grad student transfer from North Carolina State to UNCW, paired up with freshman Raquel Rooney for the Collegiate Beach Bash, splitting every single one of their matches. In this showdown with LSU's Katie Lindelow and Maddie Ligon, you can expect to see lots of defensive play and incredible athleticism, particularly from the sophomore Ligon.
Katie Zimmerman/Katie Smith (USC) vs. Coppola/Orellana (LSU)
Look for both of these duos (should their coaches choose to keep them together for the upcoming season) to make some noise in 2017. LSU's Claire Coppola brings blocking and attacking prowess to go along with Mandi Orellana's top-notch defense and smart, aggressive swings. The Katies complement each other well, with Zimmerman's blocking and Smith's defense covering a lot of court.
LeeAnn Starr/Chelsea Ross (GSU) vs. Riley Young/Taylor Bradley (LSU)
Georgia State's LeeAnn Starr and LSU's Taylor Bradley are two pieces of an incredible crop of freshmen joining the NCAA beach ranks this year. Bradley, a fiery and athletic defender, pairs with junior blocker Riley Young, while Starr and Ross test out their partnership. Starr, a product of Cincinnati, Ohio, played in three AVP tournaments over the summer, making the main draw in two.
Sarah Agnew/Georgia Johnson (GSU) vs. Sarah Senft/Payton Gidney (SHC)
Georgia State's Sarah Agnew had a fantastic freshman season in 2014 but has since struggled with injury, culminating in surgery earlier this year. See her back in action in this match, alongside partner Georgia Johnson, a freshman from Brisbane, Australia, and up against Spring Hill's freshman duo of Sarah Senft and Payton Gidney.
Looking for other matches from the 2016 Collegiate Beach Bash? Click here to see the complete archives.