By Levern Johnson (@inkedjournalist) – Spear Reporter
As SJSU women’s beach volleyball (4-0, 0-0 SLC) kicked the start of its season under new associate head coaches Melissa Batie-Smoose and Gary Hodge, the team is off to a fiery beginning after taking the University of Portland twice in its doubleheader.
The Spartans are currently riding a four-game win streak early into their season following their victories over the University of Pacific and Santa Clara University in their opening week.
The team dominated both meetings Friday, winning 4-1 with the Portland Pilots forfeiting two matches in each contest giving up an early 2-0 advantage.
Jaida Ward and Cheyenne Rice earned their first wins for San Jose State taking both their matches of the day. Ward and Rice had to battle their first match of the day after dropping the second round 17-21, winning their third and final round 15-6 to keep their hot start to the season going.
Again, the duo had to face Grace Zilbert and Jayde Harris, but their second match of the doubleheader went a lot smoother as Ward and Rice won both rounds 21-10 to finish out their match.
Afterward, coach Hodges addressed that it wasn’t an easy road to success for some duos battling their way to success.
“Everybody lost a set and almost everybody came back to win in three (sets),” Hodges said.
The Freshmen duo leading the way for SJSU beach volleyball
Most important, freshmen duo Blaire Fleming and Nayeli Tia won straight sets after taking down Michela Strati and Sophie Lee 21-17, 21-13.
But Flemings started the day against Strati and Lee, beating them in her first match of the day alongside teammate Meredith Scott (10-21, 21-18, 15-12), securing her first of two wins in Friday’s doubleheader.
Photo by Titus Wilkinson
“Flemings and Tia really came through and were dominant in their match,” Hodges said of his two freshmen. “This was really a team win.”
Altogether, Flemings and Tia have now won all four of the matches they’ve played alongside each other after taking two sets in their last matchup (received one forfeit win March 3).
“We need to be pushed and we need to practice being strong and that’s exactly what we did today,” Hodges said after the victory.
Meanwhile, the Spartans have a lot to be excited about as they head to Houston to play in the Southland mid-season tournament. On March 11 they have a tripleheader against Nicholls State University, University of New Orleans and Houston Christian University.