Broncos Win Three in California, Best Start to a Season

Saturday, March 4

Northridge, Calif.

1 p.m. MT

Boise State

CSU Bakersfield

Bronco taking a swing at the ball during a fall 2022 tournament in Boise.

Broncos Win Three in California, Best Start to a Season

3/5/2023 7:43:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Boise State won three matches in southern California over the weekend to improve to 6-2, the best start in program history.

By: Courtesy: Boise State Athletics

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Boise State won three of four matches at the CSUN Tournament in Northridge, Calif., this weekend to improve to 6-2 on the season, the best start in program history.

The Broncos (6-2) opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over CSU-Bakersfield on Saturday, including a dramatic three-set victory by No. 1 pair Sierra Land and Madison Nichols. In the second dual of the day, CSUN won the matches between the team's top two pairs, but the Broncos' No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 pairs all picked up straight-set victories to defeat the Matadors 3-2.

On Sunday, the same tandems were the difference makers against Houston Christian, with the same three pairs winning matches. Anika Christensen and Abbie Wolf, in particular, had the match-winning victory, winning in three sets to clinch the win over the Huskies. Boise State lost its final match of the weekend in a rematch against CSUN, falling 3-2.

Notables

Boise State is 6-2 so far on the season, the best start through eight matches in program history. The program's best start had previously been in 20,19 when the team started 5-3.
The Broncos' No. 3 pair of Ava Anderson and Rori Chartier went undefeated on the weekend. They are 6-2 so far on the season, all at the No. 3 spot.
The Broncos remain undefeated against Houston Christian all-time (3-0). The two teams will meet again next week for a conference dual at the Southland (conference) Midseason Tournament.
The Broncos hold a 3-2 all-time record against CSUN.
The match against CSU-Bakersfield was the first meeting in program history.

Quotables

"We haven't had a 5-0 win. To have six team wins without a 5-0 score against anybody speaks to the depth of our team. Everybody is stepping up, and we feel really good about our start so far." – assistant coach Alex Venardos
"We had one practice on Monday. It was a bummer that the loss came at the very end, but the way this team showed up after the first three with the week that we had leading up to it was exceptional. They played loose from the get-go." – assistant coach Alex Venardos
"Ava and Rori knew what they had to do to improve after the first weekend. They were constantly saying the right things during the match. Rori is coming into her own as a defender too. She was a split for us the past few years, but being back there full-time is a different perspective. She really took over some matches and let Ava play stress-free." – assistant coach Alex Venardos

What's Next

Boise State will play its first conference duals in program history next weekend at the Southland Midseason Tournament in Houston, Texas. The Broncos, who were picked third in the conference preseason poll, will open the tournament with preseason-favorite Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Saturday, March 11, at 8 a.m. MT.

Weekend Results

Boise State def. CSU Bakersfield (4-1)
1.) Sierra Land and Madison Nichols (BOI) def. Sophia Brandstetter and Hana Makonova (CSUB) 18-21, 21-17, 15-11
2.) Emma Erteltova and Sophia Hladyniuk (CSUB) def. Kaylee Mejia and Lily Patock (BOI) 21-12, 21-15
3). Ava Anderson and Rorianna Chartier (BOI) def. Isabella Almeida and Hayley McCluskey (CSUB) 22-20, 21-9
4.) Joey Benson/Emilia Guerra-Acuña (BOI) def. Emma Bubelis/Alanna Shields (CSUB) 21-8, 21-19
5.) Anika Christensen/Abbie Wolf (BOI) def. Megan Gilbert/Pearl Moore (CSUB) 21-17, 21-11

Boise State def. CSUN (3-2)
1.) Lauren Eknoian and Tasha Mae (CSUN) def. Sierra Land and Madison Nichols (BOI) 17-21, 21-19, 15-12
2.) Mikaela Maughan and Emily Sparks (CSUN) def. Kaylee Mejia and Lily Patock (BOI) 21-16, 22-20
3.) Ava Anderson and Rorianna Chartier (BOI) def. True McCullough/Victoria Rogers (CSUN) 21-14, 21-18
4.) Joey Benson and Emilia Guerra-Acuña (BOI) def. Mac McCarthy and Seyvion Waggoner (CSUN) 21-14, 21-12
5.) Anika Christensen and Abbie Wolf (BOI) def. Gabriela Griego and Abbey Sweeting (CSUN) 21-13, 21-14

Boise State def. Houston Christian (3-2)
1.) Maddie Butters and Alison Stanfill (HCU) def. Sierra Land and Madison Nichols (BOI), 23-21, 21-19
2.) Lindsay Harris and Kristen Kleymeyer (HCU) def. Kaylee Mejia and Lily Patock (BOI), 21-17, 22-20
3.) Ava Anderson and Rorianna Chartier (BOI) def. Abbey Balkin and Abbey Reinard (HCU), 21-18, 21-18
4.) Joey Benson and Emilia Guerra-Acuña (BOI) def. Shelby O'Neal and Paige Palmer (HCU), 21-23, 24-22, 15-11
5.) Anika Christensen and Abbie Wolf (BOI) def. Mary Alper and Kylann Griffith (HCU), 21-17, 17-21, 15-11

CSUN def. Boise State (3-2)
1.) Sierra Land and Madison Nichols (BOI) def. Lauren Eknoian and Tasha Mae (CSUN) 15-21, 21-15, 15-8
2.) Mikaela Maughan and Emily Sparks (CSUN) def. Kaylee Mejia and Lily Patock (BOI) def. 21-16, 21-18
3.) Ava Anderson and Rorianna Chartier (BOI) def. True McCullough and Victoria Rogers (CSUN) 21-13, 21-16
4.) Mac McCarthy and Seyvion Waggoner (CSUN) def. Joey Benson and Emilia Guerra-Acuña (BOI) 21-18, 20-22, 15-11
5.) Gabriela Griego def. Abbey Sweeting (CSUN) def. Anika Christensen and Abbie Wolf (BOI)