The sunscreen, foldable lawn chairs, and sandals were all packed as UTEP Beach Volleyball headed out of El Paso to Bear Down Beach in Tuscon, Ariz., and Gene Autry Park in Mesa, Ariz. The Miners secured wins all around, with their record at 5-6 boosting the ever-improving team. With the hot temperatures during the matches in Bear Down Beach, head coach Ben Wallis, commented on the team’s sportsmanship and improving athletic abilities. 

“We wanted not to just get wins, but we wanted to do it by playing really good, clean, physical, attacking style of volleyball,” Wallis said. “We’ve been working really hard on implementing some new tactics and systems with the girls and it showed in the matches.”  

GAME ONE:

In the first match, UTEP dominated over Park University, winning all five pairs. In each set UTEP didn’t get Park to score more than 15 points.

In the first match there were sophomores Krista Paegler and Paulina Acuna. In second, junior Madison Hill and graduate student Summer McDonough, in third, seniors Katie Martin and Marian Ovalle, in fourth freshman Mila Popovici and junior Ema Uskokovic and in fifth freshman Adriana Oporto and freshman Alexis Massey.

In match two the Miners took the win again, beating Benedictine University Redhawks in 10 sets. The Miners 3’s pair, Martin and Ovalle, fended off the Redhawks to 11 points total. Soon after, 4’s pair Popovic and Uskokovic only let the Redhawks get a total of 16 points combined.

First in match two was Paeglel and Acuna, in second Hill and McDonough, in third Martin and Ovalle, fourth Popovici and Uskokovic, and in fifth Oporto and Massey.

GAME TWO: 

Game two saw the Miners facing Mesa Community College and Park University, in Mesa Ariz. This game saw another victory for UTEP, starting the morning with a decisive win over Mesa Community College. UTEP stood their ground throughout a tough and competitive morning, soon beating Park later that afternoon 5-0.  

In match one, first was Paegle and Acuna, in second, Hill and McDonough, third Martin and Ovalle, fourth Popovic and Uskokovic and in fifth Oporto and Massey.  

In match two, in first Paegle and Acuna, in second Hill and McDonough, in third, Martin and Ovalle, in fourth Popovic and Uskokovic, and in fifth Oporto and Massey.  

The Miners will head back to Bear Down Beach for the Arizona Invitational March 22 and 23.  

Catching Marginot is a contributor and can be reached at [email protected].