MESA, Ariz. - No. 3 Corban (Ore.) earned a 3-2 pool play victory over No. 6 New College of Florida on April 23 at the NAIA Beach Volleyball Invitational, grinding out the decision behind a reverse sweep that ultimately outweighed two straight-set losses in the first wave.

New College seized the initial momentum. In Pair 2, Kayla Gentry and Jayden Ponsford put NCF on the board first with a composed 21-17, 21-18 win over Corban’s Allyson Reid and Gabi Engels. Moments later, the lead doubled when Camilla Vaerini and Soroya Nacero controlled Pair 4, defeating Erin Scott and Emily Blagg 21-14, 21-16 to push New College ahead 2-0 in the team score.

Corban’s response came in the second wave where the Warriors immediately turned the dual into a race to the finish. In Pair 1, Emma Bischoff and Emmi Marks delivered Corban’s first point in a tight three-set battle, beating Cassidy Casey and Olivia Fenstermaker 21-14, 21-23, 15-9. That win cut the deficit to 2-1 and set the stage for a dramatic closing stretch on the final three courts.

Pair 5 provided the swing point. Jordan Faircloth and Rebecca Wilber tied the score for Corban with another three-set result. They opened with a 21-16 first set over Mariana Saba and Malu Barreis, then withstood a pushback in a 24-22 second-set loss before closing confidently in the third, 15-8, to tie the score for the Warriors.

In the clincher, after dropping a marathon first set 24-22 to Alba Romanos Gracia and Jayleen Santiago, Corban’s Alexis Adebodun and Cammie Masanda steadied their side, taking the second 21-18 before pulling away late in the third for a 15-10 win. The comeback completed the reverse sweep for Corban.