Mercer University
Jacksonville University
Bears Battled Hard at Duuuuval Duals
3/5/2023 9:25:00 AM | Beach Volleyball
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Mercer Bears beach volleyball team went 0-4 at the Duuuuval Duals this past Friday and Saturday at the University of North Florida.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY | 8:00 AM
The Mercer Bears fell to Jacksonville University 1-4 at the Duuuuval Duals.
Mercer would lose its first match up against Jacksonville. Mercer's Lexi Polychrones and Jordan Paddock were defeated in two sets by Jacksonville's Mcnamara and Kubicsko by a score of 21-16. Nicole O'Mara and Kate Hardie were beaten in two sets by Jacksonville's Eckhardt and Szyzkiewicz. The first set score was 21-11 and the second was 21-6. The first match win for the Bears came from Sydney Benson and Jordyn Thomas-Warren. Benson and Thomas-Warren took on Jacksonville's Freeland and Nika Benson and Thomas-Warren won the first set 21-13, they were able to continue fighting and win their second set 21-18. Reese Hood and Hollis Engel took on Dunbar and Hart. Hood and Engel would lose both sets by a score of 21-14. Jordan Morris and Carly Lenhardt would drop both sets to Jacksonville's Martinez and Knifton. The first set score was 21-14 and the second was 21-11. Mary Callahan and Kathryn Corbett would go into three sets against Jacksonville's Murphy and Cunningham. They would lose the first set 21-19. They would win the second 18-21 and would lose the final set 15-12.
NORTH FLORIDA | 12:00 PM
The Mercer Bears fell to North Florida 0-5 at the Duuuuval Duals.
Polychrones and Paddock would fall to North Florida's Brooks and Fletcher in two sets. The score of the first was 21-14 and they would lose the second 21-9. Hardie and O'Mara would match up against North Florida's Rezentes and Camp. They would drop both sets, the score of the first was 21-18 and the second was 21-11. Benson and Thomas-Warren would battle for two sets against Murray and Espy. They would the first set 21-13 and would fall in the second 21-16. Alyssa Scoggins and Hollis Engel would face McMillan and Woodridge. They would be defeated in both sets, the score for the first was 21-9 and the score for the second was 21-13. Corbett and Morris would be defeated in two sets by UNF's Murphy and Feliciano-Sanchez. The score for the first was 21-19 and the score for the second was 21-13. Lenhardt and Skylar Kelly would drop two sets to UNF's Cahill and McConeky by a score of 21-12 for the first set. The score for the second set was 21-17.
SATURDAY, MARCH 4
COASTAL CAROLINA | 8:00 AM
The Mercer Bears were defeated by Coastal Carolina 1-4 at the Duuuuval Duals.
Paddock and Polychrones would match up against Coastal's Kragholm and Riedell. Polychrones and Paddock were able to force three sets against the duo. They would lose the first set 21-14 but would battle in the second and win 16-21. Sadly, they would drop the final set 16-14. Hardie and O'Mara would also go into three sets against Coastal's Drobnjak and Hanford. The Bears took the first set 13-21, Costal would take the second 21-18 and the final set went in favor for Coastal 18-16. Benson and Thomas-Warren would also go into three sets. The first would go in favor of the Bears 17-21. They would drop the second set 23-21 and saldy would lose the final set 15-12. Scoggins and Engel would drop both sets to Coastal's Allred and Ehlers. The score of the first was 21-18 and the score for the second was 21-17. Hood and Corbett would bring Mercer its second win of the tournament. They would defeat Coastal's Gonzalez and Ryan in two sets. They would win the first 21-19 and would win the second 21-18. Lenhardt and Kelley would also drop two close sets to Kunaus and Campell. They would lose the first 21-17 and would lose the second 21-15.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON | 2:00 PM
The Mercer Bears were defeated by College of Charleston 0-5 at the Duuuuval Duals.
Polychrones and Paddock would go into three sets for the second time during Duuuuval Duals. This time they would lose a close three set match to Charleston's Thompson and Bailey. The first would go in favor of Charleston 21-19, the second would go in favor for the Bears 18-21. The final set of the match would be a close one, the Bears would sadly lose the set 15-13. O'Mara and Hardie would also go into three sets. They would face Charleston's Vogel and Zweig. The Bears would drop the first set 19-21 but would win set two 21-19. They would drop set three 15-12. Benson and Thomas-Warren would also go into a third set against Charleston's Falk and Kora. The Bears would take the first 16-21 but would lose the second 21-14. Benson and Thomas-Warren would lose the final set 15-8. Scoggins and Engel would lose both their sets against Charleston's Reames and Smeltzer. The score of the first was 21-18 and the score for the second was 21-19. Mercer's Hood and Corbett would also force a three-set match against Charleston's Avery and Curry. The Bears would take the first set in a dominate fashion winning the set 15-21. They would drop the second 21-18 and would lose the final set 16-14.
"I was a little disappointed with how we came out on Friday," said Coach Marsh. "Our energy and effort were way below our standard. I thought we bounced back nicely Saturday morning against Coastal Carolina where we were just a few swings away from knocking off the first nationally ranked team in program history, that energy carried over into our next match against college of Charleston where once again we were just a few swings away from winning that match. Need to get back in the sand and work on some ways for the girls to be mentally tougher, so we can generate a few more points and finish these matches out."
UP NEXT: The Bears will travel to Atlanta to play in the Day of Duals on Wednesday, March 8.
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