GULF SHORES BEACH, Ala. - The University of Mobile Beach Volleyball team hosted the SUN Conference Central Pod Tournament over the weekend, with a total of six conference opponents traveling to Gulf Shores, Ala. for the two-day tournament on Mar. 22-23.
Mobile played a total of three matches during the rainy and windy weekend tourney, opening with two matches on Friday, Mar. 22 in the early morning hours. The Rams faced Warner University (Fla.) to begin the tournament, eventually losing 4-1 to the Royals. Later that day, Mobile faced Southeastern University (Fla.) and bounced back with a 3-2 victory over the Fire. One day later, Mobile faced No. 5 Webber International (Fla.) to conclude the central pod tournament and fell to the Warriors, 4-1.
After the 1-2 weekend, Mobile's overall record on the season moves to 5-8 overall and 4-6 in SUN Conference action. The Rams have dropped five of the last seven matches played during the 2024 season.
Weekend Highlights
Mobile's lone victory in the 4-1 loss to Warner to open the tournament came from the fourth flight in the starting lineup, with Jordan Wood and Emma Todd securing a 21-14, 21-11 match win for Mobile. The Royals swept the Rams 2-0 across three matches, while winning a three-set thriller over Mobile's top seed of Layton Adams and Aspen Adams.
Wood and Todd continued their winning ways in the second match played on Friday, defeating Southeastern's fourth-seeded pair 21-16, 21-16. Wood and Todd became Mobile's only duo to not lose a match across the first two matches of the SUN Conference Central Pod Tournament in Gulf Shores, while being the only team to finish the weekend with a 2-1 record.
Joining Wood and Todd with wins were Mobile's two and five seeds as Lexi Gillette and Dazsha Dean captured a three-set win from the second flight in the lineup after dropping the first set. Gillette and Dean fell 25-27 in the first set, but bounced back with 21-19, 15-13 wins to close out the win. Tatum Beech and Emily Osborne also notched a three-set win from the fifth flight, winning 21-13, 21-23, 15-8.
On the final day against Webber International, Mobile's freshman pair of Emma Hampton and Gabby Sheffield secured the lone match win for the Rams, defeating Webber International's third seed in three sets. The win avoided a 5-0 shutout for Mobile, with the pair winning 17-21, 22-20, 15-13.
What's Ahead
Mobile will return to action for two matches on Friday, Mar. 29, facing NCAA D-I opponent Southern Miss to open a two-day weekend tournament in Hattiesburg, Miss. Mobile v. Southern Miss is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. CT.
Later that day, the Rams will face Loyola University (La.) in a non-conference match at 12:00 p.m. CT, while concluding the tournament on Mar. 30 with a matchup against Nicholls State (La.), another NCAA D-I team, at 11:00 a.m. CT.
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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.
