SAN JOSE, Calif. — Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball returned to San Jose State for the second time in three weeks on Thursday, as they opened their weekend of play with two matches at their sand. A third match on the year against the Spartans preceded a contest against ranked #16 Long Beach State, but both outcomes wound up being the same. Saint Mary's nearly took the match from San Jose State but lost 3-2, and then nearly took three sets from Long Beach State but lost 5-0. The Gaels now sit at 13-9 heading into the rest of the weekend.
 
Match 1: San Jose State 3, Saint Mary's 2
 
Saint Mary's switched up the top of their order on Thursday and while it resulted in a loss in the top pair, they were able to snag the second. Jasmin Suarez and Jennifer "Boo" Laird moved to the second pair and found success against SJSU, winning with identical finals of 21-15. Saint Mary's earned another win as Hawley Harrer and Aeriel Sundt stayed hot in the fours, winning 21-15 and 21-17, but the deciding match came in the threes. After Makenna Joyce and Karmin Brown won the second set to force a third against SJSU, the Spartans threes won a thrilling final set to take it 15-13 from SMC, and ultimately help them secure the 3-2 overall win.
 
RESULTS
(1) Haylee Nelson/Jaida Ward (SJSU) def. Chandler Cowell/Selbie Christensen (SMC) 21-19, 21-19
(2) Jasmin Suarez/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) def. Madeline Boerstra/Sarah Smevog (SJSU) 21-15, 21-15
(3) Mia Schafer/Chloe Culver (SJSU) def. Makenna Joyce/Karmin Brown (SMC) 15-21, 21-18, 15-13
(4) Aeriel Sundt/Hawley Harrer (SMC) def. Cheyenne Rice/Abby Alvarez (SJSU) 21-15, 21-17
(5) Letizia Cammillucci/Allison Pereira (SJSU) def. Ella Sandt/Genevieve Bane (SMC) 21-14, 21-13
 
Match 2: #16 Long Beach State 5, Saint Mary's 0
 
Despite losing all five pairs to Long Beach State, the Gaels were in these matches and could have walked away with some victories. Chandler Cowell and Selbie Christensen brought their matchup of ones to the third set after winning the middle set 21-19. The combination of Laird and Suarez went the distance and after the Gaels won the second set 21-17, but they finished four points shy in the end. In the threes, Brown and Joyce won the opening set 21-16 but couldn't lock down the final two sets. Still, Saint Mary's showed grit and toughness and that they are on the doorstep of taking down some of the best pairs in the country.
 
RESULTS
(1) Skyler Germann/Alice Pratesi (LBSU) def. Selbie Christensen/Chandler Cowell (SMC) 21-17, 19-21, 15-10
(2) Sydney Stevens/Katie Kennedy (LBSU) def. Jennifer "Boo" Laird/Jasmin Suarez (SMC) 21-15, 17-21, 15-11
(3) Jillian Rodriguez/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Karmin Brown/Makenna Joyce (SMC) 16-21, 21-18, 15-10
(4) Nicci Reinking/Claire Newlander (LBSU) def. Hawley Harrer/Aeriel Sundt (SMC) 21-13, 21-17
(5) Sophie Major/Christine DeRoos (LBSU) def. Genevieve Bane/Ella Sandt (SMC) 21-19, 21-16
 
UP NEXT
Two more matches remain this weekend for the Gaels, who will head to Stanford on Sunday. Saint Mary's will see #11 Cal Poly and #8 Stanford, beginning at 10:00 am, in a pair of matches that are sure to test the Gaels. This marks the first of two trips to Stanford for Saint Mary's in the month of April, as they will also head back to close out the regular season on April 23-24.