MESA, Ariz. - OUAZ (Ariz.) made a statement in NAIA Beach Volleyball Invitational pool play on April 23, sweeping No. 5 Ave Maria 5-0 in a match that featured early momentum swings.

Pairs 2 and 4 took the sand first as OUAZ immediately set a tone on Pair 2, where Shayna Martinez and Olga Romero delivered the first point of the dual in the order of finish. After a tight opening set that tested both sides’ serve receive and late-set execution, Martinez and Romero edged Ave Maria’s Ryan Getz and Ines Lopes 22-20 before pulling away decisively in the second, 21-10, to put OUAZ in front.

On the neighboring court, Pair 4 turned into a three-set battle that helped define the middle portion of the dual. Ave Maria’s Maria Teixeira and Beatriz Rissi struck first with a 21-15 opening set, but OUAZ’s Shea Marovich and Alexia Luengo responded with a strong second set, 21-12, forcing a deciding frame. The third set stayed tight into the final points, with Marovich and Luengo closing out a 17-15 win to secure the second team point in the order of finish and extend OUAZ’s lead.

Once Pairs 2 and 4 concluded, Pairs 1, 3, and 5 began, and OUAZ continued to control the overall dual. On Pair 1, Eliana Dean and Maya Blake gave OUAZ a straight-set win over Adriana Bravo and Mara Delyon, 21-16, 21-11, providing the third point and pushing the match to the brink.

Pair 3 brought another extended contest, as Ave Maria’s Elle Malczewski and Greta Heiney grabbed the first set 21-12. OUAZ’s Katy Shockey and Alicia Romero answered emphatically in the second, 21-11, and then executed down the stretch in the third to win 15-12, clinching the fourth point in the order of finish and removing any doubt about the team result.

With the dual already decided, OUAZ completed the sweep on Pair 5, where Marielle Ramos and Gabriele Corrales capped the afternoon. They defeated Abbey Grose and Maylis DeTar 21-13, 21-5, finishing fifth and sealing OUAZ’s 5-0 victory over Ave Maria in pool play.