PHOENIX – Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball (2-2) season is underway, and the Gaels split in a four game event at Grand Canyon University. The Gaels sandwiched two wins over AVCA small school powerhouse Colorado Mesa with defeats at the hands of RV Arizona and #18 Grand Canyon. The Gaels made one change in their lineup already as Coach Harrer starts to see how her now third year led squad will shape out. 

The Gaels fell behind 2-0 to Arizona, before the Gael one pairing of Allie Cataldo and Hannah Couch earned the first win for the Gaels in 2024. Both the three's (Angie Bour/Nya Crump) and the five's (Grace Travis/Delaney Nicholls) forced a third set, but came up short, as the Gaels dropped their opener to the Wildcats 4-1.

Saint Mary's responded with a 3-2 win over Colorado Mesa for their first team victory of 2025. Renne Nachtigal and Genevieve Bane opened things up with a win, but the Mavericks responded with wins at the two and three spots to put the Gaels' backs against the wall. Nicholls and Travis polished off a two set sweep for their first win of the season, leaving things up to Cataldo and Couch at the one spot. In an epic three set match, Hannah and Allie rebounded from a 22-20 defeat in set one to take the final two and earn the first W for the Gaels in 2025.

A rematch with CMU was first on the docket in day two for the Gaels, and again, the Gaels outlasted a strong Maverick team for another 3-2 victory. Coach Harrer switched up her lineup a bit, pairing Nya Crump and Chloe Swanson at the two, and Sedona Sherman and Angie Bour at the three (Sherman and Swanson played together on day one, as did Crump and Bour). The Gaels fell in an early 2-0 hole in this one, but Bour/Sherman at the threes and Cataldo/Couch at the ones both picked up sweeps, leaving things up to the five pairing of Nicholls and Travis. Again, the deciding match went three sets, with the Gaels again falling in the first set, but Delaney and Grace showed fortitude and battled to win the decisive third set and push the Gaels to 2-1 on the campaign. 

The finale featured the Gaels and host Lopes of Grand Canyon. The 18th ranked team in the country unfortunately made quick work of the Gaels, with only the pairing of Bane and Nachtigall in spot four forcing a third set. As the weekend finished up, the Gaels finished 2-2. Allie Cataldo and Hannah Couch led the charge for the Gaels going 3-1 on the weekend, while the five pairing of Grace Travis and Delaney Nicholls went 2-2. 

The Gaels will be back in action at Stanford in the Battle of the Bay tournament. The Gaels will see Sacramento State, Stanford, San Jose State and UC Davis over the day event spanning from 2/28 - 3/1 

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