Monday, April 24
Corpus Christi, Texas
1:30 p.m. MT
Boise State
3
vs
2
(4) New Orleans
Broncos Drop Thriller in Conference Championship
4/24/2023 7:46:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Boise State's best season in program history came to an end, Monday, following a 3-1 loss to top-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference Championship.
The Broncos (25-10) started off the day in the losers' bracket final against New Orleans. After the squad dropped the first point on the No. 2 court, Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis won at the No. 4 position in straight sets to even the score. The Privateers (21-17) retook the lead by winning on the top court, but Boise State evened the score again with a straight-set win on court No. 5. The dual came down to Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock at the No. 3 position, who won in three sets to clinch a spot in the championship against the host school.
The Islanders (24-9) took the first point in the championship dual, winning in straight sets on the No. 2 court. Mejia and Wolthuis went the distance in an attempt to even the score, but dropped the third set as the Broncos went down 2-0. Boise State didn't back down, forcing a third set on all three matches of the second flight. With all three courts coming down to the wire, Guerra-Acuña and Patock won at the No. 3 position to put the Broncos on the board. Moments later the top pair from the Islanders pulled through to secure the victory.
- Kaylee Mejia finished the season with 54 career individual wins, the most ever in program history. Joey Benson is second all-time with 53 wins while Rorianna Chartier is third with 51.
- Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock broke the program record for most wins on the No. 3 court for a pair in a single season, reaching 15 wins on the year.
- Patock recorded her 18th win on the No. 3 court, breaking the program's career-record for most individual wins on the court.
"Our team played so well. This was the best season that our team has ever had. We're only going to go up from here. I'm just really excited to see what our future holds for us. It wasn't us holding that trophy but I'm still really proud of this group and what we did." - Voigt
"Being a Bronco has been my life these past four years and it's been everything to me. I've put my whole heart into this program and into these girls. I'm happy with where I left off. I gave it everything I had." – senior Joey Benson
1.) Ania Esarte and Maria Ozaeta (UNO) def. Rorianna Chartier and Sierra Land (BOI) 21-17, 14-21, 15-13
2.) Trinity Jackson and Alexa Spartz (UNO) def. Ava Anderson and Anika Christensen (BOI) 21-16, 21-16
3.) Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock (BOI) def. Hannah Volpi and Valerie Vujnovich (UNO) 21-11, 19-21, 15-11
4.) Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis (BOI) def. Serena Baumgart and Ivana de Carvalho Peixe (UNO) 21-16, 21-15
5.) Joey Benson and Aris Vetter (BOI) def. Valentina Echeverri and Rita Zecchin (UNO) 21-12, 21-16
No. 1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi def. No. 3 Boise State (3-1)
1.) Gi Poletti Corrales and Kiley Lewis (AMCC) def. Rorianna Chartier and Sierra Land (BOI) 19-21, 24-22, 15-13
2.) Kristin Bobay and Chloe Tome (AMCC) def. Ava Anderson and Anika Christensen (BOI) 21-12, 21-15
3.) Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock (BOI) def. Jade Bennett and Tori Johnson (AMCC) 16-21, 21-18, 15-12
4.) Kela Moreno and Shea Slusser (AMCC) def. Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis (BOI) 21-17, 15-21, 19-17
5.) Joey Benson and Aris Vetter (BOI) vs. Hannah Doyle and Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo (AMCC) 21-19, 17-21, 12-14 (unfinished)
The Broncos (25-10) started off the day in the losers' bracket final against New Orleans. After the squad dropped the first point on the No. 2 court, Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis won at the No. 4 position in straight sets to even the score. The Privateers (21-17) retook the lead by winning on the top court, but Boise State evened the score again with a straight-set win on court No. 5. The dual came down to Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock at the No. 3 position, who won in three sets to clinch a spot in the championship against the host school.
The Islanders (24-9) took the first point in the championship dual, winning in straight sets on the No. 2 court. Mejia and Wolthuis went the distance in an attempt to even the score, but dropped the third set as the Broncos went down 2-0. Boise State didn't back down, forcing a third set on all three matches of the second flight. With all three courts coming down to the wire, Guerra-Acuña and Patock won at the No. 3 position to put the Broncos on the board. Moments later the top pair from the Islanders pulled through to secure the victory.
Notables
- In its first year in conference play, Boise State finished the season with an 8-4 record against Southland Conference opponents.- Kaylee Mejia finished the season with 54 career individual wins, the most ever in program history. Joey Benson is second all-time with 53 wins while Rorianna Chartier is third with 51.
- Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock broke the program record for most wins on the No. 3 court for a pair in a single season, reaching 15 wins on the year.
- Patock recorded her 18th win on the No. 3 court, breaking the program's career-record for most individual wins on the court.
Quotables
"I've said from the beginning that we wanted to be the best version of ourselves at the end of April. That's what we were today. We played so well and we played with such heart. We were so close to getting a ticket to the NCAA tournament." - head coach Allison Voigt"Our team played so well. This was the best season that our team has ever had. We're only going to go up from here. I'm just really excited to see what our future holds for us. It wasn't us holding that trophy but I'm still really proud of this group and what we did." - Voigt
"Being a Bronco has been my life these past four years and it's been everything to me. I've put my whole heart into this program and into these girls. I'm happy with where I left off. I gave it everything I had." – senior Joey Benson
Weekend Results
No. 3 Boise State def. No. 4 New Orleans (3-2)1.) Ania Esarte and Maria Ozaeta (UNO) def. Rorianna Chartier and Sierra Land (BOI) 21-17, 14-21, 15-13
2.) Trinity Jackson and Alexa Spartz (UNO) def. Ava Anderson and Anika Christensen (BOI) 21-16, 21-16
3.) Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock (BOI) def. Hannah Volpi and Valerie Vujnovich (UNO) 21-11, 19-21, 15-11
4.) Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis (BOI) def. Serena Baumgart and Ivana de Carvalho Peixe (UNO) 21-16, 21-15
5.) Joey Benson and Aris Vetter (BOI) def. Valentina Echeverri and Rita Zecchin (UNO) 21-12, 21-16
No. 1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi def. No. 3 Boise State (3-1)
1.) Gi Poletti Corrales and Kiley Lewis (AMCC) def. Rorianna Chartier and Sierra Land (BOI) 19-21, 24-22, 15-13
2.) Kristin Bobay and Chloe Tome (AMCC) def. Ava Anderson and Anika Christensen (BOI) 21-12, 21-15
3.) Emilia Guerra-Acuña and Lily Patock (BOI) def. Jade Bennett and Tori Johnson (AMCC) 16-21, 21-18, 15-12
4.) Kela Moreno and Shea Slusser (AMCC) def. Kaylee Mejia and Elli Wolthuis (BOI) 21-17, 15-21, 19-17
5.) Joey Benson and Aris Vetter (BOI) vs. Hannah Doyle and Maria Duda Fernandes de Melo (AMCC) 21-19, 17-21, 12-14 (unfinished)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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