LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Southern College beach volleyball swept a pair of matches Saturday afternoon to open the 2024 season 2-0 with wins over Warner University and Lake Sumter State College at the Judy and Joe P. Ruthven Beach Volleyball Courts.
The Moccasins (2-0) opened with a 5-0 sweep of the Warner Royals before a 5-0 win over the Lake Sumter Lakehawks. Of the 10 total pairings on the day, the Mocs swept the day and only saw three games go to three sets.
"I am so proud of how hard everyone worked today," head coach
Makena Wilson '20 stated. "It was a team effort. They came together to fight and found a way to win. I am looking forward to next weekend against two tough opponents."
Christina Ramazio and
Sydney Melcher along with
Hailey Carefoot and
Jackie Schner took care of their matches 2-0 as Ramazio and Melcher defeated Warner's threes 21-11, 21-15 while knocking off Lake Sumter's threes 21-19, 21-14. Carefoot and Schner handled the fives 21-9, 21-13 (Warner) and 21-10, 21-15 (Lake Sumter).
Emma Winford and
Ashli McKenny paired up as the number ones and defeated Warner's Leah Cooley and Tasia Alfonso 21-7, 21-11, before topping Lake Sumter's Kaylee Hunt and Leanne Blue 19-21, 21-11, 15-5.
Sarah Crocker and
Reagan Carlton rallied back to win in three at the number two pairings over Warner's Ashlyn Fassnacht and Miranda Manduley, 18-21, 21-8, 15-11. The duo then went on to win in two sets over the Lakehawks' Kai Register and Cassidy Rountree 21-14, 21-12.
Hayley St. Martin and
Mary Olivia Muti paired up and played fours for the Moccasins moving to 2-0 after the wins. St. Martin and Muti used a two-set win over the Royals' Holly Rowe Skye McDermott, 21-16, 21-14, before winning in three over Lake Sumter's Yarelis Lopez Osorio and Braelyn MIttauer, 21-19, 21-14.
In exhibition play,
Madeline Sanders and
Chloe Maxwell paired up against Warner and defeated the Royals' Shannon Marceos and Ashley Ansholtz 21-11, 21-10. Against the Lakehawks,
Peyton Culbreth and
Emma Hufford paired up and defeated Cecilia Calton and Sydney Picke 16-21, 21-17, 16-14 to keep the Moccasins perfect on the day.
Florida Southern Beach Volleyball returns to action on Feb. 17 in Lake Worth, Fla. for a pair of matches against Palm Beach State and Ave Maria.
