Mercer Wins Twice in ASUN Action Friday

Friday, April 14

Conway, S.C.

10 AM ET

Mercer University

Jacksonville

4/14/2017 5:57:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

Jacksonville Box Score UNF Box Score

Bears improve to 7-2 in conference matches heading into season finale

By: Gerrit Van Genderen

CONWAY, S.C. – Mercer picked up a pair of ASUN Conference wins with 4-1 and 3-2 defeats of Jacksonville and North Florida at the CCU Beach Volleyball Complex on Friday.

Three Mercer pairs – Claire Waliczek/Danielle Faust, Emma Peel/Sophie Peel and Madison Kerr/Demi-Shay Watchorn – won both of their matches to vault Mercer (14-9, 7-2 ASUN) to its second and third straight wins. Mercer's 4-1 win over Jacksonville was its sixth straight against the Dolphins (5-17, 0-8 ASUN), pulling the programs even at 7-7 all-time. More impressively, the 3-2 win over North Florida (10-12, 3-5) was only Mercer's second in program history.

Mercer clinched the opening match of the day against Jacksonville with wins seeds No. 1-3. Claire Waliczek/Danielle Faust and Tori Penrod/Emily Krogman swept the Dolphins in straight sets before Emma and Sophie Peel sealed the victory with a three-set thriller. Demi-Shay Watchorn and Madison Kerr earned a three-set win in the No. 4 seed as well.

Waliczek and Faust captured another straight-set win in seed No. 3 over the Ospreys while the Peel sisters and Watchorn/Kerr both won in three sets during the afternoon showdown.

JACKSONVILLE MATCH BREAKDOWN

Tori Penrod/Emily Krogman (MER) def. Cristina Finan/Mackenzie Swan (JU) 21-14, 21-14
Emma Peel/Sophie Peel (MER) def. Megan Widener/Morgan Dees (JU) 21-13, 18-21, 15-13
Claire Waliczek/Danielle Faust (MER) def. Shelby Babowicz/Natalie Wehner (JU) 21-6, 21-13
Demi-Shay Watchorn/Madison Kerr (MER) def. Katie Krawczyk/Vanessa Richards (JU) 21-17, 18-21, 15-13
Hanna McMahon/Jizzyan Gesualdo (JU) def. Alyssa Kirkman/Lela McIntosh (MER) 17-21, 21-18, 15-10
Ext. Marina Chavez/Amber Gibson (MER) def. Mallory Mattingly/Tori Reiser (JU) 21-17, 21-19

UNF MATCH BREAKDOWN

Courtney MILLER/Katarina RAICEVIC (UNF) def. Tori Penrod/Emily Krogman (MER) 21-15, 21-13
Sophie Peel/Emma Peel (MER) def. Carina HOFF/Kimberly FERGUSON (UNF) 21-17, 19-21, 15-11
Claire Waliczek/Danielle Faust (MER) def. Chaney HOWARD/Lauren GAINER (UNF) 21-16, 21-19
Madison Kerr/Demi-Shay Watchorn (MER) def. Brittany PASE/Gabby O'CONNELL (UNF) 22-20, 21-17
Shannon McPHERSON/Nicole DeBOLT (UNF) def. Gretja Otten/Morgan MacGilvary (MER) 21-15, 21-23, 15-9
Ext. Taryn GRIFFEY/Sadie THURSTON (UNF) def. Abigail Moss/Abigail Moss (MER) 21-12, 19-21, 15-12

PAIR OF THE MATCH(ES)
Faust and Waliczek continued to roll through ASUN play with two straight-set wins Friday. The pair is 15-8 overall and 7-2 in ASUN action, both serving as team-best marks.

RECORDS UPDATE

Mercer: 14-9 (7-2 ASUN)
Jacksonville: 5-17 (0-8 ASUN)
North Florida: 10-12 (3-5 ASUN)

UP NEXT

Mercer: vs. North Florida (10 a.m., Saturday, April 15 in Conway, S.C.)

FOLLOW THE BEARS
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