GULF SHORES, AL – For the second-consecutive season, LMU beach volleyball finished their season as one of the top teams remaining in the NCAA Championships. The #4 Lions opened play on Saturday with a 3-1 win over #10 Georgia State before being eliminated by #5 Florida State later in the afternoon.
LMU fended off the Panthers in the morning round with wins on Courts 2, 3, and 5.
Avery Poppinga and
Marine Kinna did not allow Georgia State to score more than 13 points in the straight-set win. Vilhemiina Prihti and
Macy Gordon also took care of business in two sets, winning a tight one to start before allowing just 11 points in the second set.
Jacinda Ramirez and
Isabelle Reffel remained perfect to that point with a win that required 25 points in the first set.
- Megan Rice / Reka Orsi Toth - 19-21, 21-16, 6-8
- Avery Poppinga / Marine Kinna - 21-13, 21-10 (LMU)
- Vilhemiina Prihti / Macy Gordon - 22-20, 21-11 (LMU)
- Selina Marolf / Abbey Thorup - 19-21, 16-21 (GSU)
- Jacinda Ramirez / Isabelle Reffel - 25-23, 21-13 (LMU)
The Lions learned that a rematch would be set with the Seminoles after Florida State defeated LSU.
In the first staggered flights of the tournament, Florida State took a 2-0 dual lead with wins on Courts 2 and 4.
LMU fought back with
Megan Rice and
Reka Orsi Toth winning the opening set on Court 1, but FSU proved to be too much with the closeout on Court 5.
- Megan Rice / Reka Orsi Toth – 21-19, 16-19
- Avery Poppinga / Marine Kinna – 10-21, 16-21 (FSU)
- Vilhemiina Prihti / Macy Gordon – 18-21, 21-15
- Selina Marolf / Abbey Thorup - 17-21, 17-21 (FSU)
- Jacinda Ramirez / Isabelle Reffel - 19-21, 14-21 (FSU)
The Lions finished the season as one of the final four teams remaining. LMU picked up three NCAA Tournament wins for the first time in program history and now are 3-2 all-time in the NCAA Championships.
