On April 1, the Southeastern Lady Lions beach volleyball team defeated William Carey University 5-0 at their senior day game and finished the regular season with a 6-2 record in the SLC.
Before the match against WCU, the program honored six seniors for their contributions: Mia McKinney, Makayla Hicks, Elizabeth Hardoin, Carley Petty, Maggie Paiva and Lauren Sclotzhauer
Duo Mia Sauers and Gabriela Hrbanova were named the Southland Conference Pair that week after they set the tone with a straight-set victory.
Consistency and control were key for SLU to maintain its momentum throughout matches.
The strong offensive play and on-court chemistry helped keep William Carey from gaining any ground, which carried over into two conference wins in the Battle on the Bayou tournament.
The Lady Lions swept Nicholls 5-0 and defeated their last conference opponent, UNO, 3-2 in Baton Rouge before preparing for the SLC beach volleyball tournament.
Senior beach volleyball player, Carol Petty, shared her thoughts on the team’s passion to win it all this year.
“Getting conference wins really brings our team up a level and it really shows that we’re fighting hard to be first in the conference; we’re going all out this conference tournament,” Petty said.
Petty also reflected on her growth during her time in the program and how beach volleyball helped her personally.
“I’ve changed a lot in volleyball, how to be a more developed player, finding Jesus in my life and living a new life outside the court,” Petty said.
Fifth-year senior Elizabeth Hardoin emphasized the team’s resilience when the program transitioned to a new head coach before the season.
“We had our share of new coaches and battling through that adversity, but I feel safe leaning on these girls, and our new coach, Angie, is just amazing, giving us that strength to just know and believe in ourselves that we can win,” Hardoin said.
Lauren Schlotzhauer, a former player for the Lady Lions and current student assistant, also reflected on her time with the program and the legacy she hopes to leave.
“Our main goal was to build a foundation of consistency and create a winning structure for them to use throughout the season, that the team can build on for years to come and have comfort in knowing we’re there for them,” Schlotzhauer said.
Coach Simpson praised the seniors for their adaptability and dedication throughout the previous season.
“I just appreciate the strength that the seniors have demonstrated at Southeastern, focusing on their love for the sport, and not getting distracted by the things they couldn’t control. I’m just really grateful that our paths crossed how they did, and the way the team handled the turmoil of transitioning coaches,” she said.
SLU finished the regular season at the North Alabama Beach Ball tournament with a win over Central Arkansas.
Next up, Southeastern will face Nicholls to start the Southland Conference Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament on Wednesday, April 22, at 11 a.m. in Corpus Christi, Texas.
All fans can watch the game live on ESPN+.
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