The California State University, Northridge beach volleyball team (13-12) split a Saturday at Great Park as the Matadors swept Saint Katherine for the second straight day before falling in a tight 3-2 decision to host Concordia Irvine.

CSUN 5, SAINT KATHERINE 0
As they did in Northridge on Friday, the Matadors claimed 12 of the 13 sets in the second meeting between the Matadors and Firebirds in the past two days. CSUN opened the scoring in the No. 4 pair as Victoria Rogers and Layla Cederlind swept Grace Burkett and Camille Harvey, 21-12, 21-10. Emily Sparks and Mikaela Maughan made it 2-0 in the No. 2 pair, topping Lane Csimma and Cassie Salcedo, 21-9, 21-16. Abbey Sweeting and Gabriela Griego then posted a dominating 21-3, 21-14 win at the No. 5 spot to clinch the win while earning their 15th win of the season.  Seyvion Waggoner and Mac McCarthy then swept Aubrey Cardoza and Makenzie Nutting (21-18, 21-12) in the 3’s before Lauren Eknoian and Tasha Mae took care of Alexis Morris and Guilia Ledda in three sets (19-21, 21-17, 15-8) in the 1’s giving the Matadors their seventh 5-0 sweep of the season. CSUN also earned a win in the exhibition match as Abigail Alvarez and Kinley Lindhardt then teamed up for a 21-12, 21-61 victory over Brooke Bell and Gabby Alexander.

CONCORDIA 3, CSUN 2
Looking to take the season series against the Golden Eagles after the two split two earlier meetings in Northridge, the Matadors would come up short in the 3-2 decision. CSUN claimed wins in the No. 3 and No. 5 pairs but would drop the 1’s, 2’s and 4’s. win. Waggoner and Maughan teamed up for the first time this season and defeated Lauren Clifton and Isabella Bush, 21-18, 21-18. Sweeting and Griego improved to 16-8 on the season with a hard-fought 24-22, 16-21, 16-14 win over Lily Dyer and Carly Moreno in the No. 5 pair.

The Matadors, however could not muster a third win as Hannah Phair and Sara Ostojic swept Eknoian and Mae, 21-17, 21-19 in the No. 1 pair. CUI also won the No. 2 pair as Tatum Smith and Hailee Ryan swept Sparks and McCarthy by the score of 21-16, 21-13 and Eva Prewitt and Kelissa Lemoine topped Rogers and Cederlind, 21-9, 21-15 to claim the No. 4 pair.

“Overall, we had a pretty good weekend,” said head coach Ari Homayun. “We came out and took care of business against Saint Katherine. We battled hard against Concordia, but ultimately they served tougher and passed better than we did and that made all the difference. We are still continuing to make improvements, we just haven’t been able to put it all together quite yet.”

Up Next
The Matadors will be off until Saturday when the travel across the Valley to Malibu to take on Pepperdine and Life Pacific at the Pepperdine Beach Volleyball Courts.

CSUN 5, SAINT KATHERINE 0
#1 – Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) def. Morris/Ledda (USK) – 19-21, 21-17, 15-8
#2 – Sparks/Maughan (CSUN) def. Csimma/Salcido (USK) – 21-9, 21-16
#3 – Waggoner/McCarthy (CSUN) def. Cardoza/Nutting (USK), 21-18, 21-12
#4 – Rogers/Cederlind (CSUN) def. Burkett/Harvey (USK) – 21-12, 21-10
#5 – Sweeting/Griego (CSUN) def. Lynn/Ward (USK) – 21-3, 21-14
Exh. – Alvarez/Lindhardt (CSUN) def. Bell/Alexander (USK) – 21-12, 21-16

CONCORDIA 3, CSUN 2
#1 – Phair/Ostojic (CUI) Eknoian/Mae (CSUN) – 21-17, 21-19
#2 – Smith/Ryan (CUI) def. Sparks/McCarthy (CSUN) – 21-16, 21-13
#3 – Waggoner/Maughan (CSUN) def. Clifton/Bush (CUI) – 21-18, 21-18
#4 – Prewitt/Lemoine (CUI) def. Rogers/Cederlind (CSUN) – 21-9, 21-15
#5 – Sweeting/Griego (CSUN) def. Dyer/Moreno (CUI) – 24-22, 16-21, 16-14
Exh. – Alvarez/Lindhardt (CSUN) def. McCullough/Hughback (CUI) – 21-14, 21-11