Beach volleyball pairs championship: Day one
On May 9, Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs’ blocker Nicole Lankton and defender Annah Legaspi entered the California Beach Volleyball Pairs Championship as the top seed in the southern school’s division. In a field of 19, they were ranked No. 1.
In the first match, Lankton and Legaspi swept Mt. San Jacinto (MSJ) Eagles Korie Milan and Josephine Springer. They took their first match against the Eagles two sets to none.
The second match started out with the same dominating play. Lankton and Legaspi won the first set 21-5, but the second set played out differently. American River College (ARC) Beavers Samantha Chavez and Sadie White rebounded, winning the second set 21-13. Lankton and Legaspi came back strong in the third set, winning 15-4.
In the height of the early afternoon, the temperature rose to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat became a problem, as crews had to spray down the courts’ sand to cool it off. Staying cool in an open space was difficult.
Lankton and Legaspi matched with Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) Lobos Anna Eldridge and Lydia Schwemmer. Eldridge and Schwemmer came out playing hard, building a lead that Lankton and Legaspi could come back from.
Lankton and Legaspi showed their mental toughness in the second set. The score was tight, but they pulled out the win 21-18. This sent the match to a tie-breaking third set.
The heat persisted and both pairs tried to cool down between breaks in action. During the break before the third match, the crew hosed down the court as Legaspi ran onto the court to get sprayed to cool down.
In the third set, Lankton and Legaspi came out dominating. They built a lead early and the Lobos couldn’t stop them. The final score was 15-5, the Corsairs winning.
On May 10, Lankton and Legaspi will go into the next round undefeated.