The ULM beach volleyball team began its season at the Javelina Classic in Kingsville, Texas, on Friday, suffering two defeats against UTEP and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
In the first match, ULM managed one win out of five pairings. Avery Hunter and Madeline Marquez secured a three-set victory (21-18, 16-21, 15-11) over UTEP’s Alexa Gonzalez Monreal and Krista Paegle. Other pairs struggled to keep pace. Brooke Bankston and Maddie Peterson lost in straight sets (17-21, 17-21), while graduate transfers Natalie Taggart and Izabela Zukowska forced a third set but ultimately fell (15-21, 21-18, 10-15). Paige Ingersoll and Ava Sondrup were defeated decisively (12-21, 3-21), and Calli Otjen with Abby Ryno lost their match in two sets (14-21, 18-21).
ULM showed improvement in the second match against Texas A&M-Kingsville but still came up short with a 3-2 loss. Ingersoll and Sondrup took their opening set before dropping the next two (21-15, 19-21, 11-15). Bankston and Peterson were swept again (19-21, 18-21). Otjen and Ryno delivered for ULM by winning a tight three-setter (24-22, 17-21, 15-9). Taggart and Zukowska lost in straight sets (14-21, 22-24). The pairing of Marquez and Hunter remained undefeated for the day by defeating their opponents from Texas A&M-Kingsville in straight sets (25-23, 21-17).
The Warhawks are scheduled to continue play at the Javelina Classic with matches against McNeese at noon and Sam Houston at 2 p.m.
