Texas beach volleyball competed in its season opener last week at Queen’s Beach in Hawaii, and the Longhorns left with four ranked wins.
Texas started the weekend playing their highest-ranked opponent, No. 1 UCLA, on Feb. 19. The Bruins claimed the first point, defeating Longhorns sophomore Brecht Piersma and redshirt senior Katie Hashman in two straight sets.
The duo of freshman Anna Pavelkova and Kacka Pavelkova and that of redshirt junior Macey Butler and sophomore Noa Sonneville each pushed their matches to a third set, but both pairs ultimately fell in the final set, leading to the Bruins’ 5-0 victory.
But then, the Longhorns earned their first win of the season later that day against No. 16 Hawaii. Texas opened up with a redemption point from Piersma and Hashman, followed by points from senior Emma Grace Robertson and freshman Savannah Thomas, as well as Butler and Sonneville, pushing the Longhorns to an efficient victory.
Texas earned its first top-10 victory of the season, defeating No. 9 California. The Longhorns earned the first point, but the Golden Bears answered quickly to even the matchup 1-1. Butler and Sonneville delivered a straight-set victory on court five to regain control before Robertson and Thomas sealed the dual in a three-set battle, winning the final set by a score of 15-11.
Texas ended the second day with another ranked win against No. 7 Loyola Marymount. The Longhorns yet again started with the lead as Butler and Sonneville clinched the win 21-19 in the third and final set of the matchup.
Texas suffered its second defeat against No. 2 Stanford on Saturday in a tightly contested matchup in which four courts went to three sets.
The Longhorns ended their weekend on a high note with a 3-2 upset over No. 4 USC. The Trojans struck first, and the Longhorns answered with straight-set victories from Robertson and Thomas and senior Chloe Charles and freshman Lily Davis to move ahead 2-1.
USC evened the match to 2-2, defeating Anna and Kacka in three sets. Texas delivered the final point in an intense three-set matchup to clinch the win.
Ahead of the tournament, Texas head coach Stein Metzger said these early-season tests would serve as an important measure for the team.
“Going in there and playing the big dogs right out of the gate — the season’s only two and a half months long, so you can’t wait too long to figure out what your lineup is going to be at the end,” Metzger said. “You get a real good litmus test in the beginning.”
With the Longhorns coming out on the other side with a 4-2 record, there is much promise moving forward.
By emphasizing scoring early points and staying competitive throughout each set, even when trailing, Texas was able to leave Hawaii with a winning record and moved from No. 6 to No. 5 in the AVCA Collegiate Beach top 20.
Several players delivered standout performances. The freshman-senior duo of Thomas and Robertson won four of their six matches, and Piersma and Hashman made a strong impact by delivering in big moments. Piersma, who was named to the AVCA Player of the Year preseason watch list, played a pivotal role in the team’s upset over USC alongside her duo’s partner Hashman, securing the game-deciding point in the final game in the tournament.
Texas will return to Austin to host its Orange/White Scrimmage at Wright-Whitaker Sports Complex on Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. before the MPSF Mid-Season Rumble tournament in Los Angeles on March 6.
