NCF Beach Volleyball's historic season came to an end in Mesa, Arizona Friday as it lost in its final Pool Play Game at the NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball National Invitational 3-2 to Arizona Christian and then were eliminated by Wayland Baptist in a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in the Quarterfinals.
The Mighty Banyans finish the historic campaign with a 14-6 record, a perfect 10-0 Sun Conference regular season record that earned them the regular season conference title, as Sun Conference Tournament runner-ups and having gone 1-3 at Nationals.
NCF produced the Sun Conference Coach of the Year in Alison Denney, Player of the Year in
Cassidy Casey, Freshman of the Year in Olivia Fenstermaker, Pair of the Year in Casey and Fenstermaker and three first-team All-Conference selection pairs in Casey and Fenstermaker,
Kayla Gentry and
Jayden Ponsford and
Camilla Vaerini and
Maria Luiza Barreis.
Pool Play Game 3 vs. Arizona Christian Recap
NCF started its Pool Play finale hot but were unable to close out No. 7 seeded Arizona Christian.
Kayla Gentry and
Jayden Ponsford earned a straight-set victory at No. 2, defeating Jaiden Zeis and Abby Siebert 21-7, 21-19.
Soraya Nacero and Vaerini added another point at No. 4 with a 21-14, 21-11 win over Jasmin Joseph and Haley Tedrow.
Arizona Christian then secured the remaining three points to complete a reverse sweep. Olivia Fenstermaker and
Cassidy Casey fell in three sets at No. 1, 22-24, 21-16, 17-15.
Alba Romanos Gracia and
Jayleen Santiago were defeated in straight sets at No. 3, 21-19, 21-13.
At No. 5, Barreis dropped a three-set match, 21-17, 13-21, 15-11.
Quarterfinals vs. Wayland Baptist Recap
New College fell 3-2 to No. 8 seeded Wayland Baptist in the Quarterfinals later in the afternoon, ending their historic season.
Wayland Baptist opened the scoring at No. 2 as Gentry and Ponsford were defeated in straight sets, 21-11, 21-9.
New College evened the match at No. 4 with Nacero and Vaerini earning a 21-17, 21-15 victory over Frida Espeseth and Alliot Maslankiewi.
Wayland briefly regained the lead at No. 5 as Saba and Barreis fell in three sets, t 21-19, 14-21, 15-4, but minutes later, Romanos Gracia and Santiago tied the dual once again at No. 3 with a 21-16, 19-21, 17-15 win over Henry Souquet-Bres and Averi Penner.
The dual was decided at No. 1 where Fenstermaker and Casey were defeated in three sets, 21-19, 11-21, 15-11.
