Bears Eliminated from ASUN Tournament on Saturday

Saturday, April 21

Deland, Fla.

9 AM

Mercer University

Jacksonville

Photo by: ASUN Photography

Bears Eliminated from ASUN Tournament on Saturday

4/21/2018 5:32:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

Mercer falls to Jacksonville, FGCU in postseason play

By: Mary Bess Skinner

DELAND, Fla. – Mercer saw its 2018 beach volleyball campaign come to an end Saturday after the Bears were defeated by Jacksonville and FGCU in a pair of ASUN Tournament matches at the Cooper Beach Courts.

Mercer fell, 3-2, to Jacksonville in the opening round before dropping another five-set match to FGCU in elimination play later in the afternoon. Mercer, which entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed, ended its season with a 9-16 overall record.

The Bears' No. 2 seed, Amber Gibson and Gracie Garanich, won both of their matches, including a straight-sets victory over the Dolphins in the morning. No. 4 seed Kylie Keeling and Elli Merchant came away with a win in the first match while No. 5 seed Lela McIntosh and Marina Chavez also won in the elimination round.

The defeats also marked the end of four collegiate beach volleyball careers for Sophie Peel, Jessica Johnson, Madison Kerr and Chavez.

MATCH BREAKDOWN
Mercer 2, Jacksonville 3
1. Morgan Dees/Katie Krawczyk (JU) def. Sophie Peel/Kacy Ogden (MER) 22-20, 15-21, 17-15
2. Amber Gibson/Gracie Garanich (MER) def. Lauren Petersen/Mallory Mattingly (JU) 21-12, 21-17
3. Mackenzie Swan/Cristina Finan (JU) def. Jessica Johnson/Elli Gibson (MER) 22-20, 21-18
4. Kylie Keeling/Elli Merchant (MER) def. Shaylee Befus/Bethany Salapek (JU) 21-8, 21-18
5. Savannah Siegrist/Shelby Babowicz (JU) def. Lela McIntosh/Marina Chavez (MER) 21-14, 22-20

MATCH BREAKDOWN
Mercer 2, FGCU 3
1. Amanda Carroll/Mackenzie Allen (FGCU) def. Sophie Peel/Kacy Ogden (MER) 21-16, 21-8
2. Amber Gibson/Gracie Garanich (MER) def. Karissa Rhoades/Katherine Puisis (FGCU) 8-21, 21-18, 15-13
3. Giovanna Borgiotti/Ashley Glickert (FGCU) def. Jessica Johnson/Elli Gibson (MER) 21-11, 21-12
4. Snowy Burnam/Kayla Whetstone (FGCU) def. Kylie Keeling/Elli Merchant (MER) 21-11, 21-15
5. Lela McIntosh/Marina Chavez (MER) def. Kaitlan Krivdo/Cortney VanLiew (FGCU) 21-18, 21-10

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Volleyball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBearsVB (Twitter), and @mercervolleyball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.