March 21, 2015
Sara Hibbs and Yavianliz Rosado won a their match against Saint Mary's on Wednesday, March 18, as the San José State sand volleyball team dropped a pair of matches at the USF Invitational to San Francisco, 5-0, and Saint Mary's, 4-1, at Piper Park in Larkspur, Calif.
The Spartans started the day against USF. Bre Moreland and Nandyala Gama pushed the top Dons team to three sets by winning set two, 23-21, but falling 21-12, 15-8 in the other two sets. Summer Avery and Julie Sam also won a set and played the other two sets very closely, falling in the number-three position, 23-21, 18-21, 15-13.
The other three pairs fell in straight sets - Allison Meehan and Jamie Hirai - 21-6, 21-15; Sara Hibbs and Yavianliz Rosado - 21-16, 21-16; and Breann Robinson and Navjit Briana 21-13, 21-15.
Against Saint Mary's, Hibbs and Rosado won their match in the number-four position.
"We took an important step forward today in our 4s match up with St Mary's," said Spartan head coach Aaron Shepardson. "Sara and Dindi were able to win a match in two sets for the first time this season for any of our teams. They showed us how to sustain mental discipline after winning set one and close out set two.
"I am hopeful that our other teams will begin to learn to do the same as we are winning many sets but often coming up just short of the finish line. Our players are hungry to take their game to this next level. It is just a matter of staying dedicated to the learning process."
San José State's next competition will be at Stanford on Wednesday, April 1, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
USF 5, San José State 0
1. Valentina Zaloznik/Courney Sabahi (USF) def. Bre Moreland/Nandyala Gama (SJS), 21-12, 21-23, 15-8
2. Jessica Gaffney/Sara Staengle (USF) def. Allison Meehan/Jamie Hirai (SJS), 21-16, 21-15
3. Oluoma Okaro/Jessica Keenan (USF) def. Summer Avery/Julie Sam (SJS), 23-21, 18-21, 15-13
4. Katarina Pilipec/Kiara McKibben (USF) def. Sara Hibbs/Yavianliz Rosado (SJS), 21-16, 21-16
5. Inbar Vinarsky/Anja Segota (USF) def. Breann Robinson/Navjit Briana (SJS), 21-13, 21-15
Order of finish: 1-3-4-5-2
Saint Mary's 4, San José State 1
1. Samantha Tinsley/Dalas Dodd (SMC) def. Bre Moreland/Nandyala Gama (SJS) 21-16, 21-17
2. Claire Powers/Alexis Salmons (SMC) def. Allison Meehan/Jamie Hirai (SJS) 21-16, 21-15
3. Mary Hernandez/Mileva Popovic (SMC) def. Summer Avery/Julie Sam (SJS) 21-5, 21-11.
4. Sara Hibbs/Yavianliz Rosado (SJS) def. Maegan Conroy/Madi Wilkerson (SMC) 21-18, 21-15
5. Hannah Liserra/Nicole Singh (SMC) def. Breann Robinson/Samantha Pereira (SJS) 21-17, 21-12