Friday, February 24
Tucson, AZ
8:00 AM
University of Oregon
1
vs
4
Arizona State
Photo by: Molly McPherson
Pair of Top-25 Losses in Season Opener
02/24/23 | Women's Beach Volleyball
Oregon is back Saturday morning to close out the weekend against UTEP and Boise State.
EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon beach volleyball team opened its 2023 campaign with two setbacks at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz. The Ducks' pair of Ella Tyus and Bea Wetton picked up a win at the No. 2 spot in the lineup against Arizona State.
Both of Friday's opponents—Arizona State and Arizona—were part of the AVCA preseason poll with ASU receiving votes and the Wildcats checking in as the No. 18 team in the country. The Ducks return to the sand Saturday morning for matches against UTEP and Boise State.
Cactus Classic (Tucson, Ariz./Bear Down Beach)
Saturday, Feb. 25
9 a.m. vs UTEP | Live Stats
11 a.m. vs Boise State | Live Stats
All times PST
Arizona State (RV) 4, Oregon 1
Arizona State got on the board first with a win on court three but the Ducks pulled even with a straight-set win (23-21, 21-13) by Ella Tyus and Bea Wetton, the team's No.2 pair. Oregon also picked up a first-set lead at the top spot with Zoe Almanza and Chloe Brown.
The Sun Devils went on to clinch the match with back-to-back victories at No. 5 and 4, respectively. On court four, Ashley Schroeder and newcomer Natasha George dropped a pair of tight sets to ASU's Kate Fitzgerald and Rylie Kael in the clinching decision.
In the final match of the morning, Almanza and Brown lost in three sets to the Sun Devils' top pair of Lexi Sweeney and Kylie Wickley. The teams split the first two sets before the ASU duo jumped out to a lead in the third. Almanza and Brown pulled to within one late in the frame—down 13-12—but the Sun Devils held their lead to the finish.
Almanza and Brown were the only UO morning pair with experience playing together from the 2022 dual season.
1: Lexi Sweeney/Kylie Wickley (ASU) def. Zoe Almanza/Chloe Brown (ORE) – 18-21, 21-14, 15-13
2: Ella Tyus/Bea Wetton (ORE) def. Anya Pemberton/Ivey Weber (ASU) – 23-21, 21-13
3: Taryn Ames/Sarah Waters (ASU) def. Abby Plevin/Batia Rotshtein (ORE) – 21-13, 21-13
4: Kate Fitzgerald/Rylie Kael (ASU) def. Natasha George/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) – 21-18, 21-19
5: Adriana Nieves Papaleo/Carys Thomas (ASU) def. Lolo Folau/Valerie Peterson (ORE) – 21-13, 21-14
Finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1
#18 Arizona 5, Oregon 0
The host Wildcats took the first point with a win on court four. Looking for their second win of the day at the No. 2 spot, Tyus and Wetton dropped the opening set against the Arizona pair of Hope Shannon and Abby Russell but responded to take the second and force a soon-to-be epic third frame. The teams went back and forth, and into extra points, but Shannon and Russell pulled through with the 23-21 tally in the decisive set.
Arizona went on to win the remaining three matches, clinching the home sweep with victory on court three.
1: Sarah Blacker/Alex Parkhurst (ARIZ) def. Zoe Almanza/Chloe Brown (ORE) – 21-14, 22-20
2: Hope Shannon/Abby Russell (ARIZ) def. Ella Tyus/Bea Wetton (ORE) – 21-17, 18-21, 23-21
3: Grace Cook/Alana Rennie (ARIZ) def. Abby Plevin/Batia Rotshtein (ORE) – 21-16, 21-6
4: Kylee Fitzsimmons/Caroline White (ARIZ) def. Natasha George/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) – 21-14, 21-14
5: Miranda Erro/Annie Kost (ARIZ) def. Lolo Folau/Valerie Peterson (ORE) – 21-13, 21-16
Finish: 4, 2, 3, 5, 1
Following the season-opening Cactus Classic, the Ducks return to Eugene for their first of three home matches, a March 1 meeting with Bushnell with first serve scheduled for 2 p.m. Oregon's next trip will take the team to Los Angeles (March 4-5) for the Pac-12 South Invitational. Click HERE for the full 2023 schedule
For more news and information about Oregon beach volleyball, follow @OregonBeachVB on Instagram and @OregonVB on Twitter.
Both of Friday's opponents—Arizona State and Arizona—were part of the AVCA preseason poll with ASU receiving votes and the Wildcats checking in as the No. 18 team in the country. The Ducks return to the sand Saturday morning for matches against UTEP and Boise State.
Cactus Classic (Tucson, Ariz./Bear Down Beach)
Saturday, Feb. 25
9 a.m. vs UTEP | Live Stats
11 a.m. vs Boise State | Live Stats
All times PST
Arizona State (RV) 4, Oregon 1
Arizona State got on the board first with a win on court three but the Ducks pulled even with a straight-set win (23-21, 21-13) by Ella Tyus and Bea Wetton, the team's No.2 pair. Oregon also picked up a first-set lead at the top spot with Zoe Almanza and Chloe Brown.
The Sun Devils went on to clinch the match with back-to-back victories at No. 5 and 4, respectively. On court four, Ashley Schroeder and newcomer Natasha George dropped a pair of tight sets to ASU's Kate Fitzgerald and Rylie Kael in the clinching decision.
In the final match of the morning, Almanza and Brown lost in three sets to the Sun Devils' top pair of Lexi Sweeney and Kylie Wickley. The teams split the first two sets before the ASU duo jumped out to a lead in the third. Almanza and Brown pulled to within one late in the frame—down 13-12—but the Sun Devils held their lead to the finish.
Almanza and Brown were the only UO morning pair with experience playing together from the 2022 dual season.
1: Lexi Sweeney/Kylie Wickley (ASU) def. Zoe Almanza/Chloe Brown (ORE) – 18-21, 21-14, 15-13
2: Ella Tyus/Bea Wetton (ORE) def. Anya Pemberton/Ivey Weber (ASU) – 23-21, 21-13
3: Taryn Ames/Sarah Waters (ASU) def. Abby Plevin/Batia Rotshtein (ORE) – 21-13, 21-13
4: Kate Fitzgerald/Rylie Kael (ASU) def. Natasha George/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) – 21-18, 21-19
5: Adriana Nieves Papaleo/Carys Thomas (ASU) def. Lolo Folau/Valerie Peterson (ORE) – 21-13, 21-14
Finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1
#18 Arizona 5, Oregon 0
The host Wildcats took the first point with a win on court four. Looking for their second win of the day at the No. 2 spot, Tyus and Wetton dropped the opening set against the Arizona pair of Hope Shannon and Abby Russell but responded to take the second and force a soon-to-be epic third frame. The teams went back and forth, and into extra points, but Shannon and Russell pulled through with the 23-21 tally in the decisive set.
Arizona went on to win the remaining three matches, clinching the home sweep with victory on court three.
1: Sarah Blacker/Alex Parkhurst (ARIZ) def. Zoe Almanza/Chloe Brown (ORE) – 21-14, 22-20
2: Hope Shannon/Abby Russell (ARIZ) def. Ella Tyus/Bea Wetton (ORE) – 21-17, 18-21, 23-21
3: Grace Cook/Alana Rennie (ARIZ) def. Abby Plevin/Batia Rotshtein (ORE) – 21-16, 21-6
4: Kylee Fitzsimmons/Caroline White (ARIZ) def. Natasha George/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) – 21-14, 21-14
5: Miranda Erro/Annie Kost (ARIZ) def. Lolo Folau/Valerie Peterson (ORE) – 21-13, 21-16
Finish: 4, 2, 3, 5, 1
Following the season-opening Cactus Classic, the Ducks return to Eugene for their first of three home matches, a March 1 meeting with Bushnell with first serve scheduled for 2 p.m. Oregon's next trip will take the team to Los Angeles (March 4-5) for the Pac-12 South Invitational. Click HERE for the full 2023 schedule
For more news and information about Oregon beach volleyball, follow @OregonBeachVB on Instagram and @OregonVB on Twitter.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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