AUSTIN, Texas – HCU beach lost a pair of duals on Wednesday afternoon at the Wright-Whitaker Sports Complex, falling to 14
th-ranked Washington, 4-1, and host Texas, 3-2, with
Mary Alper and
Gabi Axelrod winning twice as the team's No. 5 pair.
The Huskies (2-16) previously faced Washington (6-7) in the season-opening Third Coast College Classic, falling to the other Huskies, 5-0. On Wednesday, HCU picked up a point at the fives from Alper and Axelrod who won in three sets (21-14, 14-21, 15-10).
Next, HCU took on Texas (2-3) in the Longhorns' home opener. Alper and Axelrod earned a win at the fives, taking the point in two sets (21-18, 21-17) for a perfect 2-0 day as a pair. No. 3 pair
Paige Palmer and
Audrey Pearce accounted for the other HCU point with a two-set victory (21-14, 25-23) of their own.
Kristin Gilmour and
Rachel Heilbrun, a pair of freshmen playing at the twos, suffered a hard-fought defeat in three sets (16-21, 21-17, 15-13).
The Huskies head east for a busy weekend in New Orleans, La. at Privateer Beach for the Southland Conference Mid-Season Tournament. Six duals await the Huskies across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 22-24. HCU will face Boise State, Southeastern, McNeese, San Jose State, No. 20 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Nicholls.
