BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Day 2 of the UAB Beach Classic featured the University of Tennessee at Martin beach volleyball squad earning a decisive 4-1 victory over UTEP this morning before falling 5-0 to tournament host UAB in the afternoon.
Against UTEP, the Skyhawks scored victories at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5. The Miners were able to take the first point of the match as Reagan McGee/Haeleigh Paulino fought but fell 22-20, 21-8 at No. 4.
UT Martin responded by reeling off four consecutive victories to wrap up the match, starting with a 21-15, 22-20 win at No. 2 courtesy of Sydney Eckhardt/Dylan Mott (their team-high fifth win of the 2024 campaign). After Kayla Carrell/Dylan Sulcer earned a 21-17, 21-12 triumph at No. 5 in their season debut together, the Skyhawks’ No. 1 duo of Olivia O’Keefe/Jenna Vallée clinched the team win with a 21-18, 21-17 victory – their third triumph of the spring. UT Martin’s No. 3 tandem of Ryan Rednour/Addy Vaughn tacked on their third win of the season – a come-from-behind 10-21, 21-16, 16-14 victory – for good measure.
In the second match of the day against the Blazers, the Skyhawks battled but couldn’t find a way to get on the scoreboard. Eckhardt/Mott fell 21-13, 21-13 at No. 2 before McGee/Paulino dropped a 21-8, 21-18 decision at No. 4. Carrell/Sulcer were defeated 21-10, 21-18 out of the No. 5 slot while O’Keefe/Vallée (21-14, 21-11) and Rednour/Vaughn (21-16, 21-10) fell at No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, for UT Martin.
The Skyhawks (3-5) are off from competitive action for the next 11 days before opening their home schedule on Thursday, March 14. UT Martin will take on Ohio Valley Conference foe Chattanooga (1 p.m.) and in-state rival Austin Peay (5 p.m.) in a double dual at the Skyhawk Beach Volleyball Complex.