GULF SHORES BEACH, Ala. - Located on the beach near The Hangout, one of the main tourist attractions in Gulf Shores, Ala., are several beach volleyball courts which hosted the Spring Hill Beach Volleyball Invite that featured six teams. The University of Mobile Beach Volleyball team was one of two teams from the NAIA Division, the other team being William Carey University, to partake in the three-day weekend tournament hosted by Spring Hill College which started on Thursday, Mar. 3 and lasted through Saturday, Mar. 5.
Mobile played five scheduled matches in the tournament in Gulf Shores, with three matches coming on Friday, Mar. 4. The Rams did not play on the opening day of the tournament. Each opponent that Mobile played are members of either NCAA Division II or III. On Friday, Mobile battled Huntingdon College to begin the weekend, earning a 5-0 sweep over the Eagles.
The win over Huntingdon on Friday is the second win over the Eagles for Mobile this season as the Rams earned a 3-2 win on Huntingdon's home court in Montgomery, Ala. to begin the 2022 season. In Gulf Shores this past weekend, Mobile did not allow a set win for Huntingdon, winning all five matches played, 5-0.
Following the victory of Huntingdon College on Friday morning, the Rams fell to Tusculum University, 5-0. Tusculum managed to claim each set played, sweeping Mobile. After the loss, the Rams later ended the day on a high note, taking a 3-2 win over Berry College Friday evening. Mobile Head Coach Jon Campbell's two-seed of Layton Adams and Aspen Adams swept the opposition in their match 2-0 and were joined by teammates Melea Meadows and Veronica Makovey, Mobile's five-seeded duo, in sweeping their opponents, 2-0. Mobile's fourth-seeded pair of Madison Bergeron and Jordan Wood earned a 2-1 victory over Berry College, securing the win for the Rams.
The next day, the Rams faced Hendrix College on Saturday morning in Gulf Shores and lost a hard-fought match, 3-2. Layton Adams and Aspen Adams once again swept their opponents in the match as Melea Meadows and Vernonica Makovey earned a 2-1 victory in the five seed. However, Hendrix College managed to win the one, three, and four seed matches to earn the match victory.
To wrap up the tournament, the Rams battled crosstown rival, and host of the weekend tournament, Spring Hill College which saw the Badgers earn a 5-0 victory over Mobile. Spring Hill did not lose a set to close out the tournament over the Rams as Mobile finishes the weekend on the beach 2-3 in the Spring Hill Beach Volleyball Invite.
Following the 2-3 weekend, Mobile's overall record on the 2022 season now sits at 8-4 while the Rams' conference record holds at 2-1. Mobile is set to return to conference play and host the Sun Conference Northeast Pod Tournament this upcoming weekend from Mar. 11-12. The Rams will play two matches in the weekend conference tournament with the first match being against St. Andrews University on Friday, Mar. 11 at 3:00 p.m. CT and the second match falling on Saturday, Mar. 12 against Truett-McConnell University at 3:00 p.m. CT.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
