MESA, Ariz. – OUAZ (Ariz.) earned a 3-1 win over Wayland Baptist (Texas) on Friday morning in Semifinal 1 of the NAIA Beach Volleyball Invitational.
OUAZ took early control by winning Pair 4, where Shea Marovich and Alexia Luengo delivered a straight-sets victory over Wayland Baptist’s Frida Espeseth and Milena Alliot-Maslankiewich, 21-14, 21-15. On the other early court, OUAZ’s Shayna Martinez and Olga Romero also produced a win for the Spirit in Pair 2 against Selma Sutaj and Alaina Baran. Martinez and Romero claimed the match in two sets, 21-15, 21-25, giving OUAZ a 2-0 team advantage coming out of the first wave.
When the remaining three pairs took the court, Wayland Baptist answered with its strongest point of the day at the top of the lineup. In Pair 1, Taisiia Kalchenko and Deniz Yileri defeated OUAZ’s Eliana Dean and Maya Blake in straight sets, 21-18, 21-11, cutting the overall match to 2-1 and keeping the Pioneers within striking distance.
OUAZ, however, secured the deciding third point at Pair 5 as Pair 1 finished. Marielle Ramos and Gabriele Corrales handled Luiza Valentim and Carlee Heidebrecht, 21-16, 21-14, sealing the team win at 3-1 before the Pair 3 match could be completed. Pair 3, featuring OUAZ’s Katy Shockey and Alicia Romero against Wayland Baptist’s Averi Penner and Lilou Henry-Souquet-Bressand, was ultimately truncated with the score showing 20-21, 16-18 at the stoppage.
OUAZ (Ariz.) will play in the invitational championship at 1 p.m. ET.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Administrative Council (NAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has approved Women’s Beach Volleyball as the association’s 31st championship sport, beginning with the 2027 season. “Women’s beach volleyball has continued to grow across our membership since the NAIA first identified it as an emerging sport in 2018,” […]
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2026 NAIA Women’s Beach Volleyball All-America teams and Pair of the Year on Tuesday.
The latest postseason beach volleyball ratings reflect a competitive and tightly bunched field, with Southern Oregon securing the top spot after winning the invitational title. The Raiders, who carry a strong 24-3 record, also secured six first-place votes.
KANSAS CITY, Mo – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) proudly announces the 2026 NAIA Scholar-Athletes for spring sports. Each semester, the NAIA Scholar‑Athlete list celebrates student‑athletes who excel in both academic and athletic arenas. This honor recognizes student-athletes in each of the spring sports who have excelled academically, including baseball, softball, golf, lacrosse, track & field, […]