Beach Volleyball Splits Weekend Finale in Miami Beach

Saturday, March 18

Miami Beach, Fla.

10:20 a.m.

University of North Florida

Tampa

Madison Espy and Presley Murray with Espy going for the ball at the net

Espy and Murray had their first chance at the top slot and saw their remarkable winning streak conclude at 15 matches.

Photo by: Jeremiah Wilson

3/18/2023 8:33:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

Match 1 Results Match 2 Results

UNF Downs Tampa, Has Winning Streak Snapped vs. No. 2 USC

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - UNF beach volleyball split its weekend finale in Miami Beach, taking down Tampa (6-10) before having its six-match winning streak snapped against No. 2 USC (13-1) on the second day of the Surf & Turf Invitational Saturday, March 18.

UNF went 4-1 on the weekend, improving to 11-5 on the season and 7-3 in neutral site matches. Madison Espy and Presley Murray earned their first-career opportunity at the top slot, going 1-1 on the day while having their remarkable career-opening winning streak snapped at 15.

UNF's six-match winning streak was reached with the win against Tampa, North Florida's longest such streak since March 24-April 3. That stretch saw UNF defeat Tampa to reach six-straight wins as well.

North Florida's match against the back-to-back defending national champions in USC was the highest-ranked foe UNF has faced since hosting No. 2 Florida State in 2020.

UNF 4, Tampa 1
Saturday, March 18 | Miami Beach, Fla. | Surf 'N Turf Invite

Results
1. Audrey Brooks/Iris Fletcher (UNF) def. Payton Brunick/Julia Oswald (TAMPA) 12-21, 22-20, 15-11
2. Presley Murray/Madison Espy (UNF) def. Cassidy Ehrie/Angel Williams (TAMPA) 23-21, 21-13
3. Katie Camp/Michaela Rezentes (UNF) def. Brooke Dow/Brooke Pater (TAMPA) 21-15, 24-22
4. Madison Brunick/Keely Hamilton (TAMPA) def. M. Feliciano-Sanchez/Mackenzie Murphy (UNF) 21-18, 21-12
5. Chantel McMillan/Hayden Wooldridge (UNF) def. Kalli Cors/Alivia Horn (TAMPA) 21-16, 21-17

Match Notes
Tampa 6-10
North Florida 11-4

No. 2 USC 5, UNF 0
Saturday, March 18 | Miami Beach, Fla. | Surf 'N Turf Invite

Results
1. Audrey Nourse/Nicole Nourse (USC) def. Madison Espy/Presley Murray (UNF) 21-11, 21-13
2. Caitlin Cummings/Madison White (USC) def. Audrey Brooks/Iris Fletcher (UNF) 21-18, 18-21, 15-13
3. Delaynie Maple/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (USC) def. Michaela Rezentes/Katie Camp (UNF) 21-18, 21-13
4. Delaney Karl/Gabrielle Walker (USC) def. Hayden Wooldridge/Chantel McMillan (UNF) 21-12, 21-18
5. Bailey Showalter/Olivia Bakos (USC) def. M. Feliciano-Sanchez/Zoe Cahill (UNF) 21-16, 21-11

Match Notes
USC 13-1; National ranking #2
North Florida 11-5

Notes

Espy and Murray played at the top slot for the first time, doing so against USC
McMillan and Wooldridge moved up to the fourth slot against USC, playing there for the third time this season
Mariana Feliciano-Sanchez and Zoe Cahill teamed up as a duo for the first time this year
No. 2 USC is the highest-ranked foe UNF has faced since taking on No. 2 Florida State in 2020
Espy and Murray had their career-opening winning streak snapped at 15, the longest in program history for two freshmen
UNF is 4-1 all-time vs. Tampa
North Florida is 0-2 all-time vs. USC

Up Next
North Florida takes over a week off from competition before returning to The Coop to host UNA and JU Monday, March 27.