PHOENIX, Ariz. -Roadrunners Debora Araujo (Jr., Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Western Nebraska CC) and Yuan Fu (Jr., Beijing, China, Missouri State-West Plains) teammed up to take second place at the Grand Canyon Sand Volleyball Tournament on Friday and Saturday after winning three matches and only falling to Grand Canyon's No. 1 duo (Phelps/Dugan), which won the tournament.
The double-elimination tournament featured eight pairs teams from CSUB and Grand Canyon going against each other. After getting a bye in the first round, Fu and Araujo topped Kelsee Sawyer (Fr., Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) and Star Tucker-Campbell (Moorpark, Calif., Moorpark HS) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15). In the semifinals, Fu and Araujo defeated CSUB's Molly O'Hagan (So., Tonganoxie, Kan., Tonganoxie HS) and Lisa Bartsch (Jr., Wuppertal, Germany, Augusta State 2-0 (22-20, 21-18) in a very close match. The 'Runner duo then lost to Phelps and Dugan in the winner's bracket final 2-0 (21-14, 21-15) and the championship final (21-14, 21-19).
Fu and Araujo and O'Hagan and Bartsch then meet again with the No. 1 duo winning 2-0 (21-11, 23-21). Fu and Araujo went 3-2 in the tournament, while O'Hagan and Bartsch went 4-2.
"Overall, it was a tremendous effort for both teams this weekend," said CSUB head coach Aaron Shepardson. "Molly and Lisa turned in a very gusty performance to knock out the No. 2 Grand Canyon team in three sets with Molly dominating the net. Debora and Fu played with solid composure against Grand Canyon's No. 1 team, but they could not overome the Antelopes' steady play."
CSUB's No. 2 team of Mariah Alvidrez (Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) and Shayna Guitare (Jr., Torrance, Calif., Pierce College) also had an impressive performance in the tournament, recording a 2-0 (21-5, 21-14)win in the first round and a 2-0 (21-15, 21-13) in the quarterfinals. They fell to Phelps and Dugan 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) in the semifinals.
On Friday, CSUB defeated Grand Canyon in a team dual 4-1 and improved to 4-4 in its inaugural season.
The 'Runners will be back in action on April 16 at No. 2 Long Beach State.
RESULTS:
GCU Sand Volleyball Tournament
(Double-Elimination)
First Round
*Sawyer/Tucker-Campbell (CSUB5) def. Posse/Ausmus (GCU4) 21-16, 23-21
*O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) def. Eryn Riley/Sara Little (CSUB6) 21-19, 21-9
*Guitare/Alvidrez (CSUB2) def. Sara Aloisio/Sophie Flemion (CSUB8) 21-5, 21-14
*Hiller/Jenkins (GCU3) def. Fernanda Gonsalves/Tamar Fowler (CSUB7) 17-21, 21-13, 15-9
*Bowen/Youngblood (CSUB4) def. Spackman/Spackman (GCU5) 21-8, 21-16
Quarterfinals
*Fu/Araujo (CSUB1) def. Sawyer/Tucker-Campbell (CSUB5) 21-18, 21-15
*O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) def. Bowden/Johannsen (GCU2) 21-15, 22-20
*Alivdez/Guitare (CSUB2) def. Hiller/Jenkins (GCU3) 21-15, 21-13
*Phelps/Dugan (GCU1) def. Bowen/Youngblood (CSUB4) 21-8, 21-7
Semifinals
Fu/Araujo (CSUB1) def. O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) 22-20, 21-18
Phelps/Dugan (GCU1) def. Alvidez/Guitare (CSUB2) 21-17, 21-18
Winner's Bracket Final
Phelps/Dugan (GCU1) def. Fu/Araujo (CSUB1) 21-14, 21-15
Championship
Phelps/Dugan (GCU1) def. Fu/Araujo (CSUB1) 21-14, 21-19
Consolation Rounds
*Gonsalves/Fowler (CSUB7) def. Aloisio/Flemion (CSUB8) 21-18, 21-17
*Sawyer/Tucker-Campbell (CSUB5) def. Spackman/Spackman (GCU5) 21-17, 21-15
*Bowen/Youngblood (CSUB4) def. Posse/Ausmus (GCU4) 21-11, 21-18
Hiller/Jenkins (GCU3) def. Riley/Little (CSUB6) 21-18, 21-11
Bowden/Johannsen (GCU2) def. Gonsalves/Fowler (CSUB7) 21-17, 21-16
Bowden/Johannsen (GCU2) def. Sawyer/Tucker-Campbell (CSUB5) 21-16, 21-9
Hiller/Jenkins (GCU3) def. Bowen/Youngblood (CSUB4) 21-14, 27-25
Bowden/Johannsen (GCU2) def. Alvidez/Guitare (CSUB2) 21-18, 22-24, 15-11
O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) def. Hiller/Jenkins (GCU3) 21-10, 21-19
O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) def. Bowden/Johannsen (GCU2) 21-12, 20-22, 15-6
Fu/Araujo (CSUB1) def. O'Hagan/Bartsch (CSUB3) 21-11, 23-21
*Matches played Friday
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