After a dominant performance in day one of the Cal Pac tournament qualifier, the Park University Gilbert beach volleyball were humbled by a tough Saint Katherine team and lost, 4-1, but recovered to win a tough contest with Benedictine Mesa, 3-2.

  

The No. 2's (Autumn Wood/Hattie Patton) and No. 4's (Jasmine Urban/Avery Turk) dropped their matches, despite Urban and Turk falling down 10-0 and nearly storming back to win the first set. The No. 2 and 4 losses dug a 2-0 hole for the Buccaneers that they were not able to climb out of.

 

The game clincher for the Firebirds was the No. 5's loss (Gabriela Morales/Daniella Miranda-Johnson), while the No. 1 team (Miranda Bacon/Jenifer Lauer) pushed the Firebirds to three sets, but could not come up with the victory in the decisive final set.

 

The lone win in the Saint Katherine game came from the No. 3 team of Georgia Romine-Black and Cierra Bevilockway. The duo lost a hotly contested first set, but came back strong to win sets two and three.

 

The Buccaneers fielded the same squad for their game against Benedictine Mesa, except for Elizabeth Clemit replacing Miranda-Johnson as Morales's partner. No. 4 (Urban/Turk) dropped their match, but No. 2 (Wood/Patton) kept the Bucs alive.

 

No. 5's (Morales/Clemit) loss was offset by a three-set victory on court one by Bacon and Lauer. It took a full five matches for the Buccaneers to defeat the Redhawks. No. 3 Bevilockway and Romine-Black found themselves in a similar position as game one- down one set and having to come from behind.

 

With all eyes on them and seeding in the Cal Pac Tournament on the line, Bevilockway and Romine-Black pulled off the two-set comeback to seal a Buccaneers victory; the win made Bevilockway and Romine-Black the only Buccaneers duo to win both of their matches on Saturday.

  

The Buccaneers wins over Benedictine Mesa and Embry-Riddle and loss to Saint Katherine means that they will be the number two seed in the Cal Pac Tournament next month.

  

Park University Gilbert 1, Saint Katherine 4 (Order of Finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3)-- Gene Autry Park, Mesa, Ariz.

 

1. Kaylin Henderson/Rene Walsh (SKU) def. Miranda Bacon/Jenifer Lauer (PUG), 2-1, (19-21, 21-7, 7-15)

 

2. Sam Shaffer/Olivia Muriel (SKU) def. Autumn Wood/Hattie Patton (PUG), 2-0, (21-7, 21-11)

 

3. Georgia Romine-Black/Cierra Bevilockway (PUG) def. Lauren Erickson/Aubrey Cordoza, 2-1, (18-21, 21-16, 15-10)

 

4. Savannah Minshew/Makenzie Nutting (SKU) def. Jasmine Urban/Avery Turk, 2-0, (21-18, 21-19)

 

5. Alexandria Toth/Destiny Williams (SKU) def. Gabriela Morales/Daniella Miranda-Johnson (PUG), 2-1, 21-16, 21-6, 15-11)

 

Park University Gilbert 3, Benedictine Mesa 2 (Order of Finish: 4,2,5,3,1)-- Gene Autry Park, Mesa, Ariz.

 

1. Miranda Bacon/Jenifer Lauer (PUG) def. Brainna Rivera/Paige Padilla (BENU), 2-0, (21-17, 21-17)

 

2. Autumn Wood/Hattie Patton (PUG) def. Violetti Faleumu/Kathryn McCollough (BENU), 2-0, (21-9, 21-15)

 

3. Georgia Romine-Black/Cierra Bevilockway (PUG) def. Jackie Woods/Hayley Rivera (BENU), 2-1, (18-21, 21-7, 15-8)

 

4. Jaylynn Nihipali/Anabelle Somoza (BENU) def. Jasmine Urban/Avery Turk, (12-21, 7-21)

 

5. Mikayla Flores/Destiny Ramirez (BENU) def. Gabriela Morales/Elizabeth Clemit (13-21, 10-21