Bears Open SoCal Trip With Wednesday Sweep

Wednesday, March 5

Northridge, Calif.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

CSU Northridge

3/5/2025 7:22:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

CSU Northridge Box Score CSU Bakersfield Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Mercer tacked up three wins in straight sets before letting off the gas against Cal State Northridge, and then iced its afternoon contest with Cal State Bakersfield by closing out the matchup with three-straight wins, as the Bears opened up their six-match Spring Break trip through Southern California with a Wednesday sweep at the CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex.

The triumphs marked the fourth- and fifth-straight wins for the Bears (8-2) who matched the 2019 squad for the best start in the 13-plus-year history of the program. Wednesday's success stories also gave the program its first two victories over California-based schools.

It was the fifth-straight loss for the Matadors (2-5) who fell victim to a trio of top 20-ranked squads last week at the Battle For LA, including 5-0 setbacks at the hands of No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Loyola Marymount. Cal State Bakersfield (2-5), who received votes for consideration in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Collegiate Beach Poll, has now dropped five of its last six, including setbacks to both No. 9 Cal and No. 7 Florida State. The Roadrunners took down 15^th-ranked Georgia State, 3-2, last week as well.

The Bears came out swinging on Wednesday, registering three quick wins in straight sets to build a 3-0 lead on the team scoreboard before hitting cruise control. Lexi Polychrones and Hollis Engel delivered the proverbial match-clincher with a 21-16, 21-17 win on Court No. 1, but Reese Hood and Grace Rathburn used a 22-20 victory in a deciding third set on Court No. 5 to chalk up another point anyway.

Mercer split the first two wins of the day with the Roadrunners in the afternoon match, but it was all Orange & Black after that. Liv Diaz and Jordan Paddock gave MU the lead for good with a 22-20, 21-10 ouster on Court No. 3, and Hood/Rathburn tacked up the match-clincher a short time later with a 23-21, 21-14 win over CSUB's No. 5 Pair of Bailey Combs and Brooklyn Thomas.

Mercer will be back on the sand on Friday and Saturday when it makes the short hop south for the Long Beach State-hosted Beach Invitational. Mercer is scheduled to open round-robin tournament play on Friday at noon ET with a Sun Belt Conference matchup against Southern Miss (4-8), and close out Day 1 action at the Beach Volleyball Complex against Vanguard (8-3).

Saturday's slate has the Bears doing battle with both 8^th-ranked Long Beach State (3-3) and 2^nd-ranked Loyola Marymount (9-1) at noon and 2 p.m., respectively.