Friday, March 31
Birmingham, AL
8 A.M.
Jax State
vs
UL Monroe
3/30/2023 9:44:00 AM | Beach Volleyball
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State beach volleyball heads west this weekend to the Magic City for four tough matches. The Gamecocks will take on UL Monroe, Austin Peay, Mercer, and the host Blazers on Friday and Saturday in the UAB Beach Classic.
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"After a long week of playing down in Florida, we're excited to play some more good competition close to home," interim head coach Michael Haars said. "We're trying to get better every time we step out on the sand."
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Jax State (0-9-3) scored a few positive results in last week's trip across the Sunshine State. Haars' squad tallied 2-2 draws against the State College of Florida and St. Johns River State, but also fell to experienced opponents like Jacksonville and Mercer. This weekend, the Gamecocks return home to the Yellowhammer State for their first event in Alabama in 2023.
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The UAB Beach Classic will open at 8 a.m. Friday morning with Jacksonville State taking on a national power in UL Monroe. The Warhawks are an impressive 19-1 so far this year and are coming off a sweep of last week's ULM Bayou Bash. ULM has already tied their best single-season wins mark and will pose a great test for the Gamecocks to open Friday's action.
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Jax State's second matchup in Jefferson County will be against Austin Peay at 10 a.m. Friday. The Governors (11-5) are also having a great start to the 2023 campaign and come in winners of eight straight after going undefeated in the Governors Beach Challenge and the EKU Beach Tournament. The former Ohio Valley Conference rivals have met 12 times since 2017, with the Gamecocks claiming wins in 2017 and 2021.
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Mercer (3-17) will be the first team to greet Jacksonville State on Saturday morning. The third meeting this season between the Gamecocks and the Bears will start at 10 a.m. at the UAB Beach Volleyball Courts. Mercer swept last weekend's showdowns at the Jacksonville University Tournament and enter winners of three in a row. Jax State is searching for their first win ever over MU, who is 6-0 all-time in the series.
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The Gamecocks will play their only Conference-USA match of the regular season in Saturday's finale against UAB (9-10, 1-0). The Blazers have had some impressive showings this Spring, notably shocking no. 19 Tulane in the March to May in Gulf Shores on March 18. The two in-state foes have met five times in the sand- the most recent coming in 2019- with all five previous meetings going in favor of UAB.
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Following the UAB Beach Classic, Jacksonville State will conclude the regular season Apr. 14-15 in the Austin Peay Tournament. That showcase in Clarksville, Tenn., will be the final tune-up for the Gamecocks prior to late April's C-USA Beach Volleyball Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, be sure to follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Volleyball), Twitter (@JaxStateVB), and Instagram (@JaxStateVB) accounts.
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"After a long week of playing down in Florida, we're excited to play some more good competition close to home," interim head coach Michael Haars said. "We're trying to get better every time we step out on the sand."
Â
Jax State (0-9-3) scored a few positive results in last week's trip across the Sunshine State. Haars' squad tallied 2-2 draws against the State College of Florida and St. Johns River State, but also fell to experienced opponents like Jacksonville and Mercer. This weekend, the Gamecocks return home to the Yellowhammer State for their first event in Alabama in 2023.
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The UAB Beach Classic will open at 8 a.m. Friday morning with Jacksonville State taking on a national power in UL Monroe. The Warhawks are an impressive 19-1 so far this year and are coming off a sweep of last week's ULM Bayou Bash. ULM has already tied their best single-season wins mark and will pose a great test for the Gamecocks to open Friday's action.
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Jax State's second matchup in Jefferson County will be against Austin Peay at 10 a.m. Friday. The Governors (11-5) are also having a great start to the 2023 campaign and come in winners of eight straight after going undefeated in the Governors Beach Challenge and the EKU Beach Tournament. The former Ohio Valley Conference rivals have met 12 times since 2017, with the Gamecocks claiming wins in 2017 and 2021.
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Mercer (3-17) will be the first team to greet Jacksonville State on Saturday morning. The third meeting this season between the Gamecocks and the Bears will start at 10 a.m. at the UAB Beach Volleyball Courts. Mercer swept last weekend's showdowns at the Jacksonville University Tournament and enter winners of three in a row. Jax State is searching for their first win ever over MU, who is 6-0 all-time in the series.
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The Gamecocks will play their only Conference-USA match of the regular season in Saturday's finale against UAB (9-10, 1-0). The Blazers have had some impressive showings this Spring, notably shocking no. 19 Tulane in the March to May in Gulf Shores on March 18. The two in-state foes have met five times in the sand- the most recent coming in 2019- with all five previous meetings going in favor of UAB.
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Following the UAB Beach Classic, Jacksonville State will conclude the regular season Apr. 14-15 in the Austin Peay Tournament. That showcase in Clarksville, Tenn., will be the final tune-up for the Gamecocks prior to late April's C-USA Beach Volleyball Tournament in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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To stay up-to-date with the Gamecocks, be sure to follow their Facebook (Jacksonville State Volleyball), Twitter (@JaxStateVB), and Instagram (@JaxStateVB) accounts.
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