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Arizona Christian University

OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE OF ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
BV Preview Week 2

Beach Volleyball Payne Moses

Trial By Fire: First GSAC Weekend Preview

Scottsdale, Ariz. - After going a perfect 3-0 in their opening matches this past Friday, the Lady Firestorm are primed for GSAC action in the second weekend of 2024 play. Four matches over two days begins with #1 Vanguard, the defending national champion, and ends with RV Hope International. 

All matches will be held at GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium, a neutral site for all five teams competing. 

Game Details

RV Arizona Christian vs #1 Vanguard - Friday, February 16 at 11:00 AM
RV Arizona Christian vs #8 The Master's - Friday, February 16 at 1:00 PM
RV Arizona Christian vs Life Pacific - Saturday, February 17 at 10:00 AM
RV Arizona Christian vs RV Hope International - Saturday, February 17 at 12:00 PM

GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium - Phoenix, AZ

*All Time Listed Are Arizona Time

Arizona Christian

The Lady Firestorm won their first three matches and only dropped a single head-to-head battle at Arizona Athletic Grounds in Coach Vanessa Burwick's debut. Early-year pairings were clicking, as three new Firestorm (Mia Scheepens, Eliana Cho, Emily Katzer) and seasoned veterans, such as Sydney Shaw and Railey Dykstra, showed seamless chemistry in their play. 

Across the three matches, ACU went 5-0 in sets that required settling a deuce. Scheepens and Misty McCall converted two of these pivotal sets, defeating the number one Bushnell pair (Halle Neumann/Kate Palelek) 23-21 and 24-22. 

Amaya Brown and Katzer earned the most dominant victory of the day, downing Park Gilbert's number five pair (Danielle Miranda-Johnson/Eliza Pearson) by a combined 26 points between two sets (21-10, 21-6).         
 
ACU Key Pairs

Sydney Shaw/Railey Dykstra - 3-0
Misty McCall/Mia Scheepens - 2-1
Haley Brown/Riley Brown - 3-0
Eliana Cho/Brianna Boeckman - 3-0
Amaya Brown/Emily Katzer - 3-0

Series Notes

The Firestorm are 0-8 all-time against the Lions of Vanguard University, the series dating back to 2019. In 40 total matches, Arizona Christian has only come away with two, being shut out 5-0 on six occasions. On March 24, 2023, Vanguard defeated ACU 4-1 in Huntington Beach, California. Riley Brown/Dyanna Avila was the lone winning pair for the Firestorm (21-15, 22-20), competing in the number five spot.

ACU is 1-7 all-time in their series with The Master's which began the 2020 season. The past four matches have been played at neutral sites, the Firestorm winning one of them 3-2 at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, Arizona (April 8, 2022). ACU has only been shut out on one occasion (4-0 on February 12, 2021) and has won at least two matches in five meetings. In the most recent match (March 24, 2023), the Mustangs won 4-1 and Sydney Shaw/Katy Shockey was the lone winning pair (21-18, 21-23, 15-13) in the number three spot.

Arizona Christian leads their all-time series with Life Pacific 4-0, the first match contested in the 2022 season. In 20 total matches, the Firestorm won 18, going a perfect 5-0 in their two home matches. Haley Brown/Amaya Brown posted the most dominant win (21-11, 21-10) in the most recent meeting with the Warriors, playing the number three spot. 

The Firestorm lead the HIU Royals 4-2-1 in their all-time series dating back to the 2020 season. ACU is 3-0-1 at home, a 2-2 tie happening on February 12, 2021 because neither team had a fifth pair. The tie aside, every other match has been decided by a score of 3-2. In the most recent meeting on March 25, 2023, Hope International defeated Arizona Christian 3-2 at a neutral site in Huntington Beach, California. Amaya Brown/Haley Brown pulled off a comeback win in the number three pair (19-21, 21-15, 15-11).

#1 Vanguard

The Vanguard University Lions (0-1) were ranked number in the 2023 NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball Coaches' Top-10 preseason poll (January 24th). They lost their season opener 4-1 last Friday against #8 The Master's in Santa Clarita, California. An incredible 34-match winning streak against GSAC opponents ended, as Hannah Wilmes/Emma Galloway was the lone winning pair (21-15, 18-21, 15-10). 

#8 The Master's

The Master's University Mustangs (1-0) were tabbed the eighth-best team in the 2024 NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball Coaches' Top-10 preseason poll (January 24th). They shocked the defending national champion and preseason favorite Vanguard Lions, downing them 4-1 on their home courts in Santa Clarita, California. The number two pair Faith Wada/Zoe Yates earned the signature win of the day, defeating VU's Madi Nash/Madison Arnold in straight sets (21-17, 21-14).

Life Pacific

The Life Pacific University Warriors (0-1) lost their season opener 5-0 this past Friday against Saint Katherine (CA) in Carlsbad, California. All five matches were decided in two sets.

RV Hope International

The Hope International University Royals (0-1) received votes to be ranked in the 2024 NAIA Women's Beach Volleyball Coaches' Top-10 preseason poll (January 24th). They dropped their season opener 4-1 on February 3rd to Saint Katherine (CA) in Carlsbad, California. The number three pair Addie Mathias/Rachel Street collected the Royals' lone victory in three-set battle (21-8, 18-21, 15-5) against USK's Denisse Sanchez/Bailey Combs.


Roll Storm!
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Players Mentioned

Dyanna Avila

#2 Dyanna Avila

5' 10"
Sophomore
Brianna Boeckman

#14 Brianna Boeckman

5' 8"
Junior
Amaya Brown

#18 Amaya Brown

5' 8"
Senior
Haley Brown

#17 Haley Brown

5' 5"
Sophomore
Riley Brown

#15 Riley Brown

5' 6"
Sophomore
Railey Dykstra

#7 Railey Dykstra

5' 8"
Junior
Misty McCall

#4 Misty McCall

5' 6"
Junior
Sydney Shaw

#9 Sydney Shaw

5' 5"
Junior
Katy Shockey

#21 Katy Shockey

6' 1"
Junior
Emily Katzer

#19 Emily Katzer

5' 7"
Freshman
Eliana Cho

#3 Eliana Cho

5' 6"
Junior
Mia Scheepens

#8 Mia Scheepens

6' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Dyanna Avila

#2 Dyanna Avila

5' 10"
Sophomore
Brianna Boeckman

#14 Brianna Boeckman

5' 8"
Junior
Amaya Brown

#18 Amaya Brown

5' 8"
Senior
Haley Brown

#17 Haley Brown

5' 5"
Sophomore
Riley Brown

#15 Riley Brown

5' 6"
Sophomore
Railey Dykstra

#7 Railey Dykstra

5' 8"
Junior
Misty McCall

#4 Misty McCall

5' 6"
Junior
Sydney Shaw

#9 Sydney Shaw

5' 5"
Junior
Katy Shockey

#21 Katy Shockey

6' 1"
Junior
Emily Katzer

#19 Emily Katzer

5' 7"
Freshman
Eliana Cho

#3 Eliana Cho

5' 6"
Junior
Mia Scheepens

#8 Mia Scheepens

6' 0"
Junior