BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Eastern Kentucky University beach volleyball team went 1-1 on the first day of the UAB Beach Classic on Saturday.
The Colonels (5-1) narrowly fell to UTEP, 3-2 before knocking off former Ohio Valley Conference foe UT Martin, 4-1.
The win moves EKU to 5-1 the best start to a season through six matches in program history.
On the day, the duos of
Rachel Mueller and
Elpida Pitsigkoni at the No. 3 spot and
Madalyn Richardson and
Riley Cutler at the No. 5 led the way going 2-0.
AGAINST THE MINERS
EKU fell behind early against UTEP in the first match of the day, 2-0 after the No. 2 and 4 matches.
Mueller and Pitsigkoni got the Colonels first point of the match winning in two sets by a score of 21-18, 21-17.
Richardson and Cutler earned a thrilling three set win at No. 5 to even the match, 17-12, 21-13, 15-8, but a loss at the No. 1 match for EKU saw the Colonels get its first loss of the season.
AGAINST THE SKYHAWKS
The Colonels earned their fifth win of the season over the OVC preseason favorite Skyhawks with a dominant, 4-1 win including two wins in three sets.
The two former conference opponents were tied after the first two matches, with UT Martin winning at No. 2, but EKU's
EK Lonergan and
Gabriella Armitage got the win at No. 4
, 21-18, 21-19.
EKU took the final three matches with
Paityn Walker and
Sarah Mitchell rolling at the No. 1 spot, 21-8, 21-16.
Mueller and Pitsigkoni and Richardson and Cutler each won three-set thrillers to close out the match at the No. 3 and 5 matches.
UP NEXT
The Colonels now prepare to for the second and final day of the UAB Beach Classic where they will face No. 15 Florida Atlantic and host UAB.
EKU 2, UTEP 3
- Krista Paegle and Paulina Acuna (UTEP) def. Paityn Walker and Sarah Mitchell (EKU) 21-17 22-20
- Madison Hill and Summer McDonough (UTEP) def. Natalie Taggart and Reagan Sandlin (EKU) 21-13 21-10
- Rachel Mueller and Elpida Pitsigkoni (EKU) def. Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle (UTEP) 21-18 21-17
- Mila Popovic and Ema Uskokovic (UTEP) def. EK Lonergan and Gabriella Armitage (EKU) 21-15 21-12
- Madalyn Richardson and Riley Cutler (EKU) def. Alexis Massey and Katie Call (UTEP) 17-21 21-13 15-8
EKU 4, UT MARTIN 1
- Paityn Walker and Sarah Mitchell (EKU) def. Jenna Vallee and Olivia O'Keefe (UTM) 21-8 21-16
- Sydney Eckhardt and Dylan Mott (UTM) def. Natalie Taggart and Reagan Sandlin (EKU) 21-17 21-16
- Rachel Mueller and Elpida Pitsigkoni (EKU) def. Ryan Rednour and Addy Vaughn (UTM) 19-21 21-16 15-13
- EK Lonergan and Gabriella Armitage (EKU) def. Dylan Sulcer and Raegan McGee (UTM) 21-18 21-19
- Madalyn Richardson and Riley Cutler (EKU) def. Kayla Carrell and Haeleigh Paulino (UTM) 21-16 16-21 15-1 1
