MESA, Ariz. - OUAZ (Ariz.) opened NAIA Beach Volleyball Invitational pool play on April 23 with a tightly contested 3–2 win over No. 8 Wayland Baptist (Texas), using strength at the top and bottom of the lineup to outlast the Pioneers in a match that swung back and forth until the final courts were decided.

Pairs 2 and 4 were first to take the sand and the teams split those opening decisions. Wayland Baptist struck first on Pair 2 as Selma Sutaj and Alaina Baran edged OUAZ’s Shayna Martinez and Olga Romero in two close sets, 21–19, 21–19, giving the Pioneers an early 1–0 advantage. OUAZ responded immediately on Pair 4, where Shea Marovich and Alexia Luengo delivered a steady straight-set performance against Frida Espeseth and Milena Alliot-Maslankiewich, 21–18, 21–19, leveling the overall match at 1–1 and setting up a dramatic finish to close the opening wave.

Once both opening pairs concluded, Pairs 1, 3, and 5 began, and the match momentum continued to shift. Wayland Baptist moved back in front on Pair 3 behind Averi Penner and Lilou Henry-Souquet-Bressand, who recovered after dropping the first set 24–22 to defeat OUAZ’s Katy Shockey and Alicia Romero 2–1 with a 21–15 second set and a narrow 15–13 tiebreaker. That result put the Pioneers one point away from clinching the dual and increased the pressure on OUAZ’s remaining pairs.

OUAZ answered with composure on the other two courts. On Pair 5, Marielle Ramos and Gabriele Corrales controlled the match from start to finish, beating Luiza Valentim and Carlee Heidebrecht 21–17, 21–13 to tie the team score at 2–2. With the dual coming down to Pair 1, Eliana Dean and Maya Blake delivered the deciding point in a three-set battle against Taisiia Kalchenko and Deniz Yileri. OUAZ survived a marathon first set 28–26, dropped the second 21–17, then pulled away in the tiebreaker 15–8 to seal the 2–1 win and secure the overall 3–2 victory for the No. 4 Spirit.