Ashley Emery Head Coach | Missouri State University Athletics
Ashley Emery Head Coach | Missouri State University Athletics
Missouri State University's beach volleyball team competed at the AVCA Fall Championship Qualifier held at Volleyball Beach Ozark over the weekend. Both pairs representing the Bears advanced to the semifinals, but did not secure a spot in the AVCA Beach National Championships.
The pair of Rylie Cepicky and Ally Larkin started the tournament with a 2-0 win against McKendree's Megan Diercks and Amber Williams. Amanda Cleary and MacKenzie Steele also won their opening match, defeating Southwest Baptist's Melanie Cox and Addison Fanning in straight sets.
In the quarterfinals, Cepicky and Larkin continued their success with a 2-0 victory over Lindenwood's Gabrielle Belcher and Katie Bockhorst. Cleary and Steele also advanced by overcoming Lindenwood's Abby Jacobs and Annalie McWhorter in two sets.
Both Missouri State pairs reached the semifinals, where their runs ended in close three-set matches. Cepicky and Larkin lost to UT Martin's Reagan McGee and Riley Rushing, while Cleary and Steele were defeated in another three-set contest.
Head coach Ashley Emery commented, "The pairs battled through tough matches and came up just short of advancing today. While it hurts in these moments, valuable lessons are learned and plenty to build moving forward!"
Following the semifinal results, the two Missouri State pairs will compete against each other in the third-place match on Saturday, ensuring the team will secure a podium finish at the qualifier.