Huskers Upset No. 11 Arizona State, 3-2

The Nebraska beach volleyball team upset No. 11 Arizona State, 3-2, on Thursday afternoon at the PERA Club in Tempe, Arizona. 

The Huskers trailed the match 2-1 after Arizona State's top two pairs won in straight sets, while Nebraska's point came from Mikaela Foecke and Kenzie Maloney at the No. 4 spot in a 14-21, 21-17, 15-11 win over Cassidy Pickrell and Katelyn Carballo.

But Nebraska got the final two team points from their Nos. 3 and 5 pairs to grab their first win over a ranked opponent this season. Lauren Stivrins and Kelly Hunter beat Sage Patchell and Ellyson Lundberg 21-19, 21-15 to square the match at 2-2. 

The match came down to the final points of the No. 5 matchup. Sydney Townsend and Brooke Smith battled to an 11-21, 22-20, 16-14 win over Frances Giedraitis and Kwyn Johnson to secure the win for the Big Red. They trailed the third set 13-12 but rallied with four of the next five points. 

Later in the evening, the Huskers fell to No. 13 Grand Canyon, 4-1. Olivia Boender and Annika Albrecht scored the Huskers' lone team point with a 21-23, 21-15, 15-10 win against GCU's No. 2 pair. Maloney and Foecke took their No. 4 match to a third set.   

The Huskers are now 4-7 on the season. Nebraska will face Benedictine University at Mesa on Friday at 12:30 p.m. (CT) in the final beach match of the season.

Nebraska 3, No. 11 Arizona State 2
1. Bianca Arellano/Whitney Follette (ASU) def. Andie Malloy/Justine Wong-Orantes (NEB) 21-13, 24-22
2. Madison Berridge/Oluoma Okara (ASU) def. Annika Albrecht/Olivia Boender (NEB) 21-17, 21-12
3. Lauren Stivrins/Kelly Hunter (NEB) def. Sage Patchell/Ellyson Lundberg (ASU) 21-19, 21-15
4. Kenzie Maloney/Mikaela Foecke (NEB) def. Cassidy Pickrell/Katelyn Carballo (ASU) 14-21, 21-17, 15-11
5. Sydney Townsend/Brooke Smith (NEB) def. Frances Giedraitis/Kwyn Johnson (ASU) 11-21, 22-20, 16-14
Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1, 3, 5

No. 13 GCU 4, Nebraska 1
1. Molly Turner/Tjasa Kotnik (GCU) def. Andie Malloy/Justine Wong-Orantes (NEB) 21-8, 24-22
2. Olivia Boender/Annika Albrecht (NEB) def. Jordyn Sanchez/Hannah Towne (GCU) 21-23, 21-15, 15-10
3. Jessica Stansfield/Rebecca Conrad (GCU) def. Lauren Stivrins/Kelli Hunter (NEB) 21-19, 21-15
4. Kelli Iverson/ Jessica Clark (GCU) def. Kenzie Maloney/Mikaela Foecke (NEB) 14-21, 21-19, 15-10
5. Tyanna Roy/ Emily Reinking (GCU) def. Brooke Smith/Sydney Townsend (NEB) 21-10, 21-15
Exh: Anna Unnasch and Leigh Stonerook def. Tiani Reeves and Brooke Smith (NEB) 21-19, 21-15