Beach Volleyball game between the Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils at Whitaker Sports Complex in Austin, Texas on March 22, 2025. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
Texas Beach Volleyball concluded the second day of the East vs. West Invitational in spectacular fashion, earning a pair of crucial victories against No. 2 LMU and No. 11 Arizona State. With these wins, the Longhorns improved their stellar home record to 7-1 and elevated their overall season performance to 16-5, cementing their place as a force to be reckoned with in the 2025 season.
The day began with a thrilling duel against the second-ranked LMU Lions. The Longhorns came out strong, taking an early 2-0 lead. The No. 2 pair, Emma Grace Robertson and Katie Hashman, set the tone with a commanding straight-sets victory, 21-18, 21-15. Building on their success, the No. 4 duo of Macey Butler and Noa Sonneville followed with a hard-fought win, edging out their opponents 23-21, 21-18. However, LMU responded with impressive performances at the No. 3 and No. 5 courts, where Karin Zolnercikova and Maddison Parmelly (21-17, 21-18) and Carys Patton and Vivian Johnson (21-16, 21-18) were narrowly defeated. With the score tied at 2-2, the final result came down to the No. 1 court. In a dramatic, high-stakes three-set battle, Chloe Charles and Eva Liisa Kuivonen rose to the occasion, delivering a clutch 15-21, 21-18, 15-12 victory to secure the upset for Texas.
Riding the momentum from their earlier triumph, the Longhorns turned their attention to their second match of the day against the No. 11-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. Once again, Robertson and Hashman at No. 2 opened the scoring for Texas with an impressive 21-16, 21-18 win. The Sun Devils struck back by defeating Butler and Sonneville at No. 4 in a tense three-set match, 17-21, 21-18, 17-15, leveling the duel at 1-1. Undeterred, the Longhorns regained control with strong performances from their No. 5 and No. 3 pairs. Ava Patton and Kylie Wickley, competing at No. 5, claimed a decisive 21-14, 21-19 win, while Zolnercikova and Parmelly at No. 3 earned a gritty 21-13, 17-21, 15-9 victory. The final point of the duel once again fell to Charles and Kuivonen at No. 1, who delivered an unforgettable performance in a marathon match that saw six match points before Texas prevailed, 21-16, 16-12, 23-21, sealing a 4-1 victory.
Throughout the weekend, several Longhorn pairs demonstrated exceptional skill and consistency, with Charles and Kuivonen (No. 1), Robertson and Hashman (No. 2), and Butler and Sonneville (No. 4) each finishing with an impressive 3-1 record.
The Longhorns now look ahead to their next challenge at the Death Volley Invitational, scheduled for March 28-29 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Facing a lineup of powerhouse programs including Stanford, Long Beach State, UCLA, and USC, Texas will aim to carry their momentum and continue their outstanding season.
University of Texas Beach Volleyball
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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