BeachVB Preview: Battle on the Bayou
4/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU beach volleyball team will wrap-up the 2016 season this weekend by traveling to Baton Rouge, La., for the Battle on the Bayou at Mango's Beach Volleyball Club hosted by No. 10 LSU from April 30-May 1.
The Horned Frogs (16-6) will open the weekend against the Houston Baptist (6-9) on Saturday at 9 a.m., before taking on Tulane (17-15) at 3 p.m., and ending the day with the host Tigers (18-8) at 6 p.m. On Sunday, TCU will round out the weekend by facing New Orleans (3-15) at 10 a.m., and New Mexico (16-7) at Noon.
TCU Notables
TCU is coming off a 2-1 showing two weeks ago at the final home tournament of the season - the Cowtown Classic. The Frogs were able to post wins over ULM (5-0) and the DiG Volleyball Magazine No. 12 ranked New Mexico (3-2).
Two pairs are on three-match winning streaks with Jillian Bergeson and Jaelyn Greene and Ariah Palter and Molly Scheel each owning a 17-4 record on the season. Bergeson and Greene have played solely at the No. 3 slot for TCU, while Palter and Scheel have picked up their wins at the No. 4 and No. 5 positions. Michelle McNamee and Sarita Mikals have been squarely at the top of the lineup all season long with the duo posting 15 wins.
For the third straight poll this season, TCU is receiving votes in the DiG Magazine Collegiate Beach Volleyball poll.
Scouting the Competition
Houston Baptist is coming off the HBU Beach Invitational where the Huskies went 2-1 with wins over New Orleans (4-1) and Lee College (5-0). Aeriel Horton and Jessica Wooten lead the team with nine wins on the season playing on courts one and three. Five other players have posted five wins this season
After winning five straight matches, Tulane has lost four straight and is looking to bounce back from the CCSA Conference Championship. The Green Waves are led by the pair of Tea Juric and Jackie Wegner who are 23-8 on the season with all matches played at the No. 1 slot. Lan Nguyen and Madeline Mertz have also collected 20 wins with 15 of the victories coming on court two.
LSU coming off a 3-2 showing at the inaugural CCSA Championship with wins over UAB (5-0), South Carolina (5-0) and Florida Atlantic (3-2). The Tigers are led by the No. 2 pair of Helen Boyle and Lilly Kessler who have a combined 19-4 record on the year. Callan Molle and Cati Leak have tallied an additional 15 wins at the three spot. On court five, Megan Davenport and Cheyenne Wood have garnered a 10-1 record while Mandi Orellana and Riley Young have collected eight wins in 11 matches played at the four slot.
New Orleans has dropped its last five straight matches including the last two to Houston Baptist (4-1) and Texas A&M Corpus Christi (3-2) at the HBU Invitational last weekend. The UNO tandems of Brooklyn Frank and Samantha Uline along with Lauren Levy and Cara Sander share the team lead with five pairs victories apiece. Levy leads the way individually with seven total victories, teaming with Blessing Dunn for two more wins.
The last time New Mexico competed was two weeks ago at the Cowtown Classic where they dropped all three matches to TCU (3-2), USC (5-0) and ULM (3-2). The pairing of Eastyn Baleto and Marisa Doran have been nearly unstoppable at the No. 4 position as the duo are 21-2 on the season. The No. 3 pair of Hannah Johnson and Julia Warren are 16-6 on the season, while Lise Rugland and Devanne Sours along with Carson Heilborn and Maddie Mayfield each have 13 victories for 2016.
Battle on the Bayou Schedule
Saturday, April 30
9 AM: TCU vs Houston Baptist
3 PM: TCU vs Tulane
6 PM: TCU at #10 LSU
Sunday, May 1
10 AM: TCU vs New Orleans
Noon: TCU vs New Mexico
