IRVINE, Calif. – The Concordia beach volleyball team capped off the weekend with a tournament at Irvine Valley College on Sunday morning, taking on two nationally ranked NCAA Division I teams and an exhibition against the host.
 
The morning started with a match against No. 17 Grand Canyon, with the Lopes collecting the win by a score of 5-0. The Eagles line-up stayed intact following the matches on Friday, but Concordia faced an uphill battle against a taller GCU squad.
 
On court two, the freshman duo of Bella Brown and Hailee Ryan crept close early against the Lopes, but fell 21-13 in each set. Despite a slow start in set one for Kya Bock and Kit McCarty, the pair bounced back in set two, staying close for a majority of the set.
 
The next game featured a top 15 team in No. 14 Stanford. The Cardinal and Eagles have never faced each other before until this meeting making it a mystery as to how both teams would match-up. But today it went in favor of Stanford as they earned the victory on all five courts.
 
Malory Hanenburg and Veronica Wood had strong starts in both sets, at times doubling up the score on the Cardinal. Brown and Ryan held their own against a duo of equal size, falling 21-15, 21-14. Bock and McCarty was the last duo to finish as they played in long and intense rallies.
 
Rounding out the day, the Eagles faced the Lasers of Irvine Valley College. Although it does not count toward the team's overall record, Concordia battled a competitive junior college team that ranks No. 4 in the latest AVCA CCCAA poll.
 
The Lasers earned wins on courts one and four to take a 2-0 lead for the dual. Vanessa Bernzen and Asia O'Neil picked up a win at the fives, 22-20, 21-11. On court three, Clark and Keathley battled from behind 20-15 to tie it up but fell short 23-21 for the first set and repeated in the second to come within two. Brown and Ryan pushed Irvine Valley, taking the Lasers to three sets with a competitive 22-20 first set win.
 
Concordia (0), No. 17 Grand Canyon (5)
1. Hannah Towne/Katie Hess (GCU) def. Kya Bock/Kit McCarty (CUI) 21-12, 21-13
2. Mikaela Raudsepp/Teagan DeFalco (GCU) def. Bella Brown/Hailee Ryan (CUI) 21-13, 21-13
3. Taylor Jarzombek/Esmee Priem (GCU) def. Maddy Clark/Avery Keathley (CUI) 21-8, 21-11
4. Jamie Wals/Anaya Evans (GCU) def. Malory Hanenburg/Veronica Wood (CUI) 21-7, 21-9
5. Bella Bauman/Jessica Stansfield (GCU) def. Vanessa Bernzen/Asia O'Neil (CUI) 21-6, 21-16
 
Concordia (0), No. 14 Stanford (5)
1. Tori Ashkinos/Charlie Ekstrom (STAN) def. Kya Bock/Kit McCarty (CUI) 21-13, 21-13
2. Morgan Hentz/Sunny Villapondo (STAN) def. Bella Brown/Hailee Ryan (CUI) 21-15, 21-14
3. Maddie Dailey/Amelia Smith (STAN) def. Maddy Clark/Avery Keathley (CUI) 21-9, 21-13
4. Shannon Richardson/Blake Sharp (STAN) def. Malory Hanenburg/Veronica Wood (CUI) 21-16, 21-13
5. Kat Anderson/Chelsea Red-Horse Mohl (STAN) def. Vanessa Bernzen/Asia O'Neil (CUI) 21-13, 21-13
 
Concordia (1), Irvine Valley College (4)
1. Renata Bath/Lea Kruse def. Kya Bock/Kit McCarty (CUI) 21-17, 21-9
2. Gabriela Griego/Anna Unke def. Bella Brown/Hailee Ryan (CUI) 20-22, 21-17, 15-9
3. Alyssa Vortuni/Emilie Austin def. Maddy Clark/Avery Keathley (CUI) 23-21, 21-19
4. Alaina Gendale/Kendall Nolan def. Malory Hanenburg/Veronica Wood (CUI) 21-16, 21-17
5. Vanessa Bernzen/Asia O'Neil (CUI) def. Alison Kent/Alaina Thomas (IVC) 22-20, 21-11
 
Concordia is now 4-7 on the season and heads to Long Beach on Mar. 27 to take on Long Beach State and Oregon.
 
For the full Concordia beach volleyball schedule, click here.