MOBILE, Ala. - Spring Hill College's Sandy Badgers got their 2019 season started with a perfect 3-0 weekend at the Jim and Betty Walsh Beach Volleyball Facility, beating Coastal Carolina Friday afternoon and then taking care of Coastal Carolina again on Saturday morning and Southern Mississippi in a Saturday matinee affair. 

"Looking back on the weekend it feels great to walk away with three wins over NCAA Division I opponents. I thought all the teams were pretty evenly matched which is going to help us moving forward.  The fan support was incredible as students, family, and friends helped create an electric environment for our team to compete," said SHC Coach Shawn Taylor.

"We were fortunate that the weather cooperated and we were able to get some matches in.  In beach volleyball the conditions have a noticeable impact on results.  While I don't think the conditions favored our team I thought we did an excellent job of being ready to compete.  Both matches with Coastal Carolina went down to the wire with the outcome being determined by the final match being played.  Emma and Sully (Emily Sullivan) along with Patty and Cassidi established the tone and posted wins early.  While pair No. 6 doesn't score for us, I feel like winning at that spot is just as important as the others because of the signal that sends to the rest of our team."

Friday, Feb. 22
The Sandy Badgers (3-0) started their season with a 3-2 victory over Coastal Carolina.

Spring Hill's No. 1 pairing of Payton Gidney and Kassandra Fairly knocked off Leah Hardeman and Sydney Alvis, 21-13, 21-16. The Sandy Badgers' Sarah Senft and Emily Greim teamed for a 21-17, 21-14 win over Kate Federico and Tanner Gauthier at No. 4 and Emmarose Neibert and Emily Sullivan swept Kaylin Eske and Anett Nemeth, 21-19, 21-15 in the fifth slot to provide Spring Hill with the victories it needed to knock off the Chanticleers.

Coastal Carolina got its two points in the No. 2 and 3 slots. At No. 2, Anaiah Boyer and Lucy Campbell edged Brittany Bilotti and Taylor Hurst, 21-18, 19-21, 15-11 and at No. 3, Aleksandra Djuric and Shelby Ladewig got past Caroline Herrara and Allison Weimer, 21-17, 21-16.

Saturday
Spring Hill's opening match Saturday against Coastal Carolina (2-2) ended with the Sandy Badgers winning by an identical 3-2 score. 

"It's difficult to beat a quality team back to back.  While the format is a little unusual it's a nice test early in the season," Taylor said.  "Britt (Bilotti) and T (Taylor Hurst) were able to rebound from their loss on Friday and pickup the third set victory to ultimately decide the team result as we were sitting even at 2-2.  Four out of the six matches went to a deciding set.  While the rain subsided the wind picked up a bit for the evening matches.  With constantly changing conditions you're not only adapting to the opponent but also the weather." 

Spring Hill closed out the day with a 4-1 victory over Southern Mississippi (0-3) that was closer than the scoreline indicated. The Sandy Badgers had to win two three-set matches to knock off the Golden Eagles and finish the weekend undefeated.

Gidney and Fairly rallied to beat Kylie Grandy and Lindsey Legg, 18-21, 21-16, 19-17 at No. 1 and Bilotti and Hurst edged Abbey Wilson and Cyan Blackdeer, 21-19, 19-21, 15-13 in the No. 2 match to give Spring Hill a pair of crucial points. In the match at No. 4, Senft and Greim beat the Southern Miss duo of Breleigh Favre and Olivia Hepworth, 21-16, 21-16 and Neibert and Sullivan teamed up to get past Lindsey Smith and Madison Lawler, 21-18, 21-15 at No. 5.

Southern Miss got its only point at No. 3, where Piper Matsumoto and Kellie Garraway outlasted Herrara and Weimer, 21-18, 19-21, 15-13.

"It was great to welcome back Hannah Masoner who is an alum now working as a GA for USM.  Against Southern Miss we were able to walk away with the 4-1 team victory but the actual competition was closer than the match score indicates.  Four out of the six matches went to a deciding set and all being well contested.  The night was capped off by Gid (Payton Gidney) and Kassandra (Fairly) who battled back to clinch the final win of the weekend 19-17 in a deciding set." 

Up Next
Spring Hill is back in action March 1-2 at the UNO Beach Volleyball Invitational in Covington, La. The Sandy Badgers take on Nicholls State and Huntingdon College on Friday at 1 and 5 p.m., respectively, and face Southern Mississippi and New Orleans at 1 and 5 p.m., respectively on Saturday.

Spring Hill isn't home at the Jim and Betty Walsh Beach Volleyball Facility again until March 19, when the Sandy Badgers host Principia College and Willam Carey University at 1 and 6 p.m. The William Carey match will serve as Spring Hill's Senior Night.



at Jim and Betty Walsh Beach Volleyball Facility

Friday Results
Spring Hill 3, Coastal Carolina 2
Pair 1. Payton Gidney/Kassandra Fairly (SHC) def. Leah Hardeman/Sydney Alvis (CCU) 21-13, 21-16
Pair 2. Anaiah Boyer/Lucy Campbell (CCU) def. Brittany Bilotti/Taylor Hurst (SHC) 21-18, 19-21, 15-11
Pair 3. Aleksandra Djuric/Shelby Ladewig (CCU) def. Caroline Herrara/Allison Weimer (SHC) 21-17, 21-16
Pair 4. Sarah Senft/Emily Greim (SHC) def. Kate Federico/Tanner Gauthier (CCU) 21-17, 21-14
Pair 5. Emmarose Neibert/Emily Sullivan (SHC) def. Kaylin Eske/Anett Nemeth (CCU) 21-19, 21-15
Pair 6 (Exhibition). Patty Blood/Cassidi Sterrett (SHC) def. Haylie Beck/AK Hakansson (CCU) 21-17, 22-23, 15-11


Saturday Results
Spring Hill 3, Coastal Carolina 2


Spring Hill 4, Southern Mississippi 1
Pair 1. Payton Gidney/Kassandra Fairly (SHC) def. Kylie Grandy/Lindsey Legg (USM) 18-21, 21-16, 19-17 
Pair 2. Brittany Bilotti/Taylor Hurst (SHC) def. Abbey Wilson/Cyan Blackdeer (USM) 21-19, 19-21, 15-13
Pair 3. Piper Matsumoto/Kellie Garraway (USM) def. Caroline Herrara/Allison Weimer (SHC) 21-18, 19-21, 15-13
Pair 4. Sarah Senft/Emily Greim (SHC) def. Breleigh Favre/Olivia Hepworth (USM) 21-16, 21-16
Pair 5. Emmarose Neibert/Emily Sullivan (SHC) def. Lindsey Smith/Madison Lawler (USM) 21-18, 21-15
Pair 6 (Exhibition). Patty Blood/Cassidi Sterrett (SHC) def. Chloe Klusman/Kinlsey Hanback (USM) 12-21, 21-16, 15-9