GULF SHORES, Ala. - The University of Mobile Beach Volleyball team competed in the SUN Conference Tournament over the weekend, with the tournament being held in Gulf Shores this year. After winning the SUN Conference regular season title, the Rams were looking towards the conference tournament with hopes of sweeping both titles. However, it was not to be for the Rams as they would fall in the final against Webber International in heartbreaking fashion. The Rams entered the weekend as the No. 1 seed and played well across both days of the tournament, with the team just narrowly missing out on their second title this season.
DAY ONE
Game One - Mobile 3, St. Thomas 0
Mobile started off the tournament with a strong 3-0 win against St. Thomas. The 2, 3, and 4 seeds picked up the three wins necessary for the Rams to claim victory, meaning that the 1 and 5 seed matches did not reach a conclusion.
Seed One: Aspen Adams/Layton Adams - (21-19, N/A)
Seed Two: Dazsha Dean Middleton/Lexi Gillette - (21-17, 18-21, 15-11) W
Seed Three: Emma Hampton/Gabby Sheffield - (21-16, 21-8) W
Seed Four: Emma Todd/Emily Osborne - (21-18, 21-18) W
Seed Five: Jaci Drinnon/Rachel Dunaway - (21-6, N/A)
Game Two - Mobile 3, William Carey 2
After the win in game one, Mobile faced strong opposition from William Carey in game two with the match requiring all 5 seeds to finish to determine a winner. The 1, 3, and 4 seeds picked up the wins for Mobile with the 5 seed of Jaci Drinnon and Rachel Dunaway suffering their first loss of the season in a close, three set battle.
Seed One: Aspen Adams/Layton Adams - (21-13, 21-14) W
Seed Two: Dazsha Dean Middleton/Lexi Gillette - (17-21, 24-22, 13-15) L
Seed Three: Emma Hampton/Gabby Sheffield - (12-21, 21-14, 15-13) W
Seed Four: Emma Todd/Emily Osborne - (22-20, 21-18) W
Seed Five: Jaci Drinnon/Rachel Dunaway - (19-21, 21-12, 14-16) L
DAY TWO
Semifinal - Mobile 3, Loyola 1
Mobile would start day two waiting to find out their opponent for the semifinal, with Loyola eventually winning out in the early match to set up the meeting. The Rams would only need 4 seeds to finish before they would claim victory, with the 3, 4, and 5 seeds all winning in 2 sets to claim the 3-1 win over the Wolfpack and send the Rams to the Championship.
Seed One: Aspen Adams/Layton Adams - (21-9, 16-21, N/A)
Seed Two: Dazsha Dean Middleton/Lexi Gillette - (16-21, 15-21) L
Seed Three: Emma Hampton/Gabby Sheffield - (21-9, 21-18) W
Seed Four: Emma Todd/Emily Osborne - (21-14, 21-7) W
Seed Five: Jaci Drinnon/Rachel Dunaway - (21-16, 21-12) W
Championship Match - Mobile 2, Webber International 3
Mobile would face Webber International in the Championship match of the SUN Conference Tournament with the two teams needing all 5 seeds to determine a winner. Ultimately it would all be decided at the 1 seed with Mobile and Webber being split 2-2 between the 2-5 seeds. Layton and Aspen Adams would come up short against their opposition in a tough loss for the Rams which marks the teams first loss this year to an NAIA opponent.
Seed One: Aspen Adams/Layton Adams - (23-25, 21-10, 8-15) L
Seed Two: Dazsha Dean Middleton/Lexi Gillette - (15-21, 17-21) L
Seed Three: Emma Hampton/Gabby Sheffield - (21-12, 21-14) W
Seed Four: Emma Todd/Emily Osborne - (16-21, 16-21) L
Seed Five: Jaci Drinnon/Rachel Dunaway - (21-8, 21-11) W
Up Next for the Rams
For Mobile, they are back in action next weekend, April 18-19, for the AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Tournament held in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Rams will look to turn their attention towards the tournament in hopes of avenging their loss in the SUN Conference Tournament.
FOLLOW THE RAMS
For complete coverage of University of Mobile Athletics, follow the Rams on social media at /MobileRams (Facebook), @UMobileRams (X aka Twitter), and @umobilerams (Instagram), or visit the official home of the University of Mobile Athletic Department at https://umobilerams.com/.
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.
