TAVARES BEACH, Fla. - The University of Mobile Beach Volleyball team was one of nine NAIA beach volleyball programs to earn a trip to this season's American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Small College Beach Volleyball Tournament for the NAIA division over the weekend in Tavares Beach, Fla. The Rams earned the sixth seed of the tournament and played a total of four matches across Apr. 14-15.
Mobile opened the tournament with a 3-2 match victory over Corban University last Thursday afternoon. Mobile Head Coach Jon Campbell awarded twin sisters Aspen Adams and Layton Adams the first seed in the starting lineup against Corban and saw them come away with a 21-18, 17-21, 15-13 match victory.
Abby Andrews and Brinkley Hearn followed that with a 2-0 sweep from the third flight, securing a 21-12, 21-17 win for Mobile's second point. Eventually, Mobile's fifth-seeded pair of Melea Meadows and Veronica Makovey claimed a 2-1 match win over their opponents to grab the win for the Rams to open the tournament. Meadows and Makovey overcame a set one defeat and won by the scores of 18-21, 21-18, 15-9.
A few hours later on Thursday, the Rams battled Webber International, who earned the No. 1 seed of this year's tournament. Mobile played hard against Webber, but fell 1-4 Thursday evening. From the third flight, Abby Andrews and Brinkley Hearn came away with a 19-21, 21-7, 15-0 victory for the team's lone point. The Rams fell 1-2 in the first flight and in straight sets in the second, fourth, and fifth flights of the match against Webber International, who eventually won this season's AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Championship in the NAIA Division.
The following day, Mobile faced Ave Maria University in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Gyrenes of Ave Maria managed a 5-0 sweep over the Rams, never allowing Mobile a set victory in any of the five matches played. The loss eliminated the Rams from the tournament, placing them sixth overall.
In the consolation bracket later Friday afternoon, Mobile faced Southeastern University and fell 1-4. For Mobile's lone point, Melea Meadows and Veronica Makovey swept the opposition with a 21-11, 23-21 win in the fifth flight. The first, second, and fourth-seeded matches went in favor of the Fire by 2-0 sweeps, while the third flight was a 1-2 defeat.
Mobile finished 1-3 this past weekend in the AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Tournament and ended the 2022 season with a 15-12 overall record in just the second season as a sanctioned sport in the University of Mobile Athletic Department and NAIA.
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.
