Beach Volleyball's Top Pair Takes Home 2019 Big 8 Pairs Championship

For the second year in a row, Sierra College Beach has the top pair in the conference. Meghan Merlino and Haley Biles cruised through bracket play and met their conference foe in Howard and Hampton from Feather River College in the winner take all final. Game one was a nail-biter and went extra points to an eventual Sierra win at 22-20. Merlino/Biles faltered a little in game two falling 21-17 to Feather River but refocused and went to work in the third set. Both teams traded points until Merlino/Biles put some light between Howard/Hampton with a 9-6 lead and then never looked back. Merlino/Biles secured the championship with a 15-9 final set score and will receive the Big 8 #1 seed going into the CCCAA Regional Pairs Championship at Sierra on Friday, May 3rd. Merlino and Biles were also named the 2019 Big 8 Conference MVP's.

Also, with a great showing in the tournament were Sarah Shively and Kapri Pelle, narrowly missing an appearance in the finals with a loss in the semi-finals to Howard and Hampton, finished 3rd overall, defeating Delta College's 1's team of Markham and Thompson. Maddy Meteer and Jasmine Dean also had a great tournament and finished 6th in the conference. Both Shively/Pelle and Meteer/Dean made the Big 8 All-Conference team and will compete alongside Merlino and Biles in the NorCal pairs championship next Friday.

Final Finishes and All Conference Team:

1 – Merlino/Biles (Sierra College) Big – MVPs

2 – Howard/Hampton (Feather River College)

3 – Shively/Pelle (Sierra College)

4 – Thompson/Markham (Delta College)

5 – Nagase/Carnes (Feather River College)

6 – Meteer/Dean (Sierra College)

7 – Fopiano/Ditzenberger (Delta College)

8 – Harris/Leon (College of Marin)

Co-Coaches of the Year:

Sarah Ritchie (Feather River College)

Alanna Whitnack (Sierra College)