A trio of five-set matches showcased season-opening competition for the Wayne State College beach volleyball program.
From the UNL Sand Volleyball Courts in Lincoln, WSC took on the host Nebraska along with McKendree (ILL) and Trinidad State (CO) all on Friday during the UNL Triangular.
The Wildcats dropped all five sets to Nebraska (0-5), won 4-1 over McKendree and closed with a 5-0 sweep against Trinidad State.
In the loss to the Cornhuskers, Wayne State’s #5 pairing of Jolee Ryan and Rhianna Wilhelm went all three sets before falling to Nebraska’s Campbell Flynn and Keri Leimbach by scores of 21-9, 16-21 and 15-8.
The Wildcat #4 pairing of Ella Myler and Reese Johnson went extra points in the second set against Nebraska’s Laney Choboy and Skyler Pierce before falling 21-7, 24-22. The #3 match saw Wayne State’s Molly Romano and Brooklyn Kusler battle with Andi Jackson and Harper Murray before falling 21-14, 21-18.
In other results in the #1 pairing it was Nebraska’s Rebekah Allick and Olivia Mauch defeating Taylor Bunjer and Ava Spies 21-13, 21-3 and in the 2s match Wayne State’s Channatee Robles and Chloe Hanel fell to Bergen Reilly and Teraya Sigler of Nebraska 21-13, 21-10.
The exhibition match saw Wayne State’s Laney Kathol and Anna Borner go extra points in the first set against Nebraska’s Maisie Boesinger and Taylor Landfair before the Huskers recorded a 24-22, 21-17 win over the Wildcat pairing.
From the victory over McKendree, the Wildcat #2 pairing of Channatee Robles and Chloe Hanel picked up a 21-15, 21-17 win over McKendree’s Amber Williams and Kiley Schanuel. Other sweeps for the Wildcats were posted by #3 team Molly Romano and Brooklyn Kusler 21-9, 21-14 followed by a 21-11, 21-10 win from Ella Myler and Reese Johnson in the 4s pairing.
Jolee Ryan and Rhianna Wilhelm impressed in a 21-4, 21-7 win in the #5 match while the Wildcat exhibition duo of Laney Kathol and Anna Borner scored a 22-20, 21-16 win.
Wayne State’s #1 pairing of Taylor Bunjer and Ava Spies went three sets against McKendree’s Megan Diercks and Brooke Junker before falling 21-15, 14-21 15-11.
During the win against Trinidad State, the #1 pairing of Taylor Bunjer and Ava Spies picked up a 21-12, 21-18 win over Sophia Quizon and Kylie Williams of Trinidad. A close match in the 2s pairing saw Channatee Robles and Chloe Hanel pick up a 21-17, 21-17 victory.
In the 3s matchup it was Wayne State’s Molly Romano and Brooklyn Kusler winning 21-16, 21-10 over Ana Vitoria-Vian and Vienne Maszes of Trinidad. The #4 pairing had Ella Myler and Reese Johnson collecting a 21-8, 21-6 win while in the 5s matchup Wayne State’s Brooke Peltz and Rhianna Wilhelm won 21-6, 21-14.
In the exhibition contest Wayne State’s Gracen Evans and Bella Hedke rallied for a 21-23, 21-16, 15-12 victory to complete the sweep for the Wildcats.
The Wayne State College beach volleyball team will next travel to Glendale and Mesa, Arizona and will play 10 matches from March 8 – 12.
