EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon beach volleyball honored its senior class Tuesday afternoon and recorded a 5-0 win over Bushnell at Amazon Park. All four of the Ducks’ seniors were part of a win in the sweep.
In a pre-match ceremony, Oregon celebrated the careers of Lolo Folau, Jensen Kaelin, Ashley Schroeder and Alina Valenti. The team also recognized Bushnell’s five seniors before the match.
The Ducks jumped out to a 2-0 lead with wins at the No. 3 and 5 spots during the first wave of play. The pair of Landree Coats and Bella Gamache raced through the opening set on its way to a 21-5, 21-13 win over Jadeya Hayes and Courtney Isom. It was the duo’s team-leading sixth win of the season.
Lolo Folau, the first UO senior in action Tuesday, paired with Halli Fields for a 21-19, 21-10 victory in the No. 5 spot.
At the top of the lineup, Daley McClellan and senior Alina Valenti swept their way past Halle Neumann and Kate Palelek—21-14, 21-11—to clinch the dual win and extend the Ducks’ lead to 3-0. During that second wave, the team of Presley McCaskill and Isabel Patterson had a win in the exhibition slot.
The senior duo of Jensen Kaelin and Ashley Schroeder took down the Bushnell pair of Brooke Silvernail and Anessa Stotts. It was the 41st-career win for Schroeder who moves to within four of the UO record; Bea Wetton won 45 dual points during her career in Eugene.
Natasha George and Sophie Gregoire completed with the Ducks’ sweep with a 21-19, 21-10 win at the No. 4 pairs, topping Lace Jespersen and Sydney Myhre in the final match in play. The result for George represented career win No. 20, good for a spot in the program’s top 10.
Oregon 5, Bushnell 0
1: Daley McClellan/Alina Valenti (ORE) def. Halle Neumann/Kate Palelek (BUSH) – 21-14, 21-11
2: Jensen Kaelin/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) def. Brooke Silvernail/Anessa Stotts (BUSH) – 21-11, 21-9
3: Landree Coats/Bella Gamache (ORE) def. Jadeya Hayes/Courtney Isom (BUSH) – 21-5, 21-13
4: Natasha George/Sophie Gregoire (ORE) def. Lace Jespersen/Sydney Myhre (BUSH) – 21-14, 23-21
5: Halli Fields/Lolo Folau (ORE) def. Avery Lenssen/Reagan Walker (BUSH) – 21-19, 21-10
Order of finish – 3, 5, 1, 2, 4
Up Next: The Ducks travel to Seattle for the Alki Beach Invitational (April 12-13), facing a tough field that includes Boise State, No. 15 Georgia State and 11th-ranked—and host—Washington. Round-robin play is Friday followed by bracket play on Saturday.
For more news and information about Oregon Beach Volleyball, follow @OregonBeachVB on Instagram and @OregonBVB on Twitter.
