Beach Bears Open Up SoCal Trip On Wednesday

Wednesday, March 5

Northridge, Calif.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

CSU Northridge

3/4/2025 8:29:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – The red-hot Mercer beach volleyball team will open up a six-match Spring Break trip through Southern California on Wednesday when the Bears head to Northridge for the Cal State Northridge Invite at the CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex.

The Bears (6-2) are scheduled for a pair of midweek contests, including a 1 p.m. ET contest against the host-Matadors (2-4). Mercer will close out its stay in Northridge at 3 p.m. against Cal State Bakersfield (2-4) who received votes for consideration in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Collegiate Beach Poll.

Mercer has steamrolled through its first two weekends of competition, registering three wins at both the season-opening Stetson Spring Fling, as well as at last week's North Florida-hosted Duuuval Duals. The Bears, whose only two setbacks this season have come at the hands of top 20-ranked squads, already have a Power 4 win under their belt as well with a 3-2 win over Nebraska in Deland, Fla., on February 22.

Seniors Kathryn Corbett and Nicole O'Mara have inflicted a bulk of the pairs damage for the Bears, reeling off a 7-1 record on Court No. 4 through two tournaments, including a perfect 4-0 run through the Duuuval Duals over the weekend. Corbett/O'Mara tallied a trio of straight-sets victories in Jacksonville, including a 21-12, 21-15 win over 19^th-ranked North Florida's pair of Cameron Humphries and Hayden Woolridge.

Three other pairs – Hollis Engel/Lexi Polychrones, Sydney Benson/Liv Diaz and Reese Hood/Grace Rathburn – have already logged five wins on the sand so far this season as well. Engel/Polychrones will ride a three-match win streak into Wednesday's action in Northridge.