The University of Louisiana Monroe beach volleyball team lost both of its matches on April 4 during the second day of the Islanders Classic, which was hosted by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Warhawks now hold a season record of 5-18 overall and are winless in Sun Belt Conference play.
The tournament is significant for ULM as it provides experience against regional opponents and a chance to improve their standing before upcoming conference matches.
In the first match against CSU Bakersfield, ULM fell by a score of 4-1. Paige Ingersoll and Avery Hunter were defeated in straight sets (21-11, 21-8) on court two. Brooke Bankston and Maddie Peterson also lost their match (21-11, 21-19), while Calli Otjen and Ava Sondrup came close but ultimately dropped their contest after an extended second set (21-12, 24-22). Katie Felts and Izabela Zukowska won the first set decisively but could not hold on as CSU Bakersfield completed a reverse sweep (11-21, 21-16, 15-10). The lone point for ULM came from Abby Ryno and Claire Williamson on court one; after losing the first set (21-12), they fought back to win the next two sets (15-21, 15-17).
In their second match against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, ULM was swept by a score of 5-0. Ingersoll/Hunter lost in straight sets (21-12, 21-6), while Felts/Zukowska kept it close but still fell short (21-16, 21-19). Ryno/Williamson dropped both sets as well (21–9, 21–18). Bankston/Peterson (21–12, 21–14) and Otjen/Sondrup (21–16, 21–15) also suffered defeats.
The Warhawks will look to regroup as they travel next to Birmingham, Alabama to face UAB starting April 10.
