CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Eastern Kentucky University beach volleyball team opened its 2026 season in dominant fashion, earning back-to-back 5-0 victories over Liberty and Austin Peay on Friday.
The Colonels began the day with a sweep of Liberty, winning all five flights without dropping a single set.
Freshman
Carlyn Mcallister and
Sutton Sales collected their first collegiate victory at the No. 4 flight, cruising to a 21-15, 21-10 win.
Molly Shomock and
Riley Cutler followed with a hard-fought 21-19 first-set win before taking control in the second, 21-12.
At the top flight,
Gabriella Armitage and
Elpida Pitsigkoni secured the victory, 21-19, 21-18, in a tightly contested match.
The second dual of the day against Austin Peay was tightly contested, with three of the five flights going to a deciding third set.
At the No. 2 flight, Shomock and Cutler delivered a commanding 21-11, 21-11 victory. Mcallister and Sales added another straight-set win, 21-15, 21-16, giving EKU early control of the match.
Armitage and Pitsigkoni battled at the No. 1 flight, dropping the second set before responding with a decisive 15-5 win in the third to secure the dual-clinching point.
In the No. 3 flight,
Amanda Floystad and
Kaiya Ward rebounded after falling in the opening set, rallying to take the final two, 21-17 and 15-12.
Sami Deidesheimer and
Tatum Meinerz closed out the sweep at the No. 5 flight, bouncing back from a second-set loss to dominate the deciding frame, 15-4.
NEXT UP
On Saturday, EKU will face Morehead State at 12 p.m., who enter the matchup 0-2 in the tournament after losses to Austin Peay and Tusculum.
The Colonels will wrap up the weekend against Tusculum at 4 p.m., coming off wins over Liberty and Morehead State.
EKU 5 – Liberty 0
Match Notes
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3, 1, 5
EKU 5 – Austin Peay 0
Match Notes
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1, 5, 3
