Cougars' Record-Setting Season Ends in CCSA Quarterfinals

Saturday, April 20

Emerson, Ga.

9:00 AM

College of Charleston

Tulane

Cougars' Record-Setting Season Ends in CCSA Quarterfinals

4/20/2019 7:46:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

EMERSON, Ga. --- The College of Charleston beach volleyball team's record-setting 2019 season came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday afternoon with a hard-fought 3-2 setback to No. 4 Louisiana State in the quarterfinal round of the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championships at the Rally Volleyball Complex.

College of Charleston (20-4) started the day with a history-making 4-1 win over Tulane (16-18) in the elimination round. The Cougars won the first four flights to reach the 20-win mark for the first time in program-history, and advance to the quarterfinal round. Charleston gave second-seeded and fourth-ranked LSU everything it could handle in the afternoon's quarterfinal round, but ultimately fell to the Tigers in a 3-2 season-ending setback.

Seniors Devon Rachel (Louisville, Ky.) and McKala Rhodes (Charleston, S.C.) finished the season with a superb 22-2 to set a new single-season record for wins, as Rachel passed fellow senior Allison Beckman (Apex, N.C.) for first on the program's all-time win list with her 61^st career victory. Rachel, along with Beckman (60), Rhodes (60), Taylor Foley (54; Agoura Hills, Calif.), Kennedy Madison (49; Evansville, Ind.) and Katja Ehlers (35; Raleigh, N.C.) conclude their careers occupying six of the top 10 spots on CofC's career wins list.

College of Charleston 4, Tulane 1

Charleston opened the day with a statement 4-1 win over Tulane in the elimination round with wins in the first four flights to book its ticket to the afternoon's quarterfinal round. Ehlers and Foley delivered a dominating 21-9, 21-11 win at fives to set the tone, before Beckman and Logan Manusky (San Diego, Calif.) gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead with a 21-19, 21-18 victory at four's.

Rhodes and Rachel clinched the dual with a 21-19, 21-19 win at two's to improve to 21-2 on the season. Madison and Lauren Freed (Troy, Ohio) gave the Cougars a 4-0 advantage with a 21-16, 14-21, 15-12 victory at one's, as freshmen Amani Dunston (Agoura, Calif.) and Sky Benjamin (Easley, S.C.) fell in a back-and-forth nail-biter at three's by scores of 19-21, 21-18, and 14-16.

#4 LSU 3, College of Charleston 2

The Cougars gave the fourth-ranked Tigers everything they had – and then some – in the quarterfinal round with wins in the fifth and second flights to head to the decisive third flight even with LSU at 2-2. Ehlers and Foley capped their senior campaign in style with a 21-15, 21-18 win at five's to put the Cougars on the front foot, before LSU answered with a 21-9, 21-17 victory at one's to even the tally.

The Tigers then claimed a 2-1 advantage with a 21-19, 21-14 win at four's, only to watch their lead quickly evaporate following a 21-17, 21-16 victory by Rhodes and Rachel at two's to square the score at 2-2. It all came down to the third flight, where Dunston and Benjamin fought to the last point in a 21-17, 22-20 setback as LSU escaped with the 3-2 dual win.

College of Charleston 4, Tulane 1
1. Kennedy Madison/Lauren Freed (COFC) def. Kaylie McHugh/Eva Toruella (TUL) 21-16, 14-21, 15-12
2. McKala Rhodes/Devon Rachel (COFC) def. Tarin Mergener/Lauren Orlich (TUL) 21-19, 21-19
3. Rio Frohoff/Gabriella Becerra (TUL) def. Amani Dunston/Sky Benjamin (COFC) 21-19, 18-21, 16-14
4. Allison Beckman/Logan Manusky (COFC) def. Ellie Leitko/Haley Gibson (TUL) 21-19, 21-18
5. Katja Ehlers/Taylor Foley (COFC) def. Morgan Esters/Kilani Daane (TUL) 21-9, 21-11

#4 LSU 3, College of Charleston 2
1. Claire Coppola/Kristen Nuss (LSU) def. Kennedy Madison/Lauren Freed (COFC) 21-9, 21-17
2. McKala Rhodes/Devon Rachel (COFC) def. Kahlee York/Kelli Agnew (LSU) 21-17, 21-16
3. Toni Rodriguez/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU) def. Amani Dunston/Sky Benjamin (COFC) 21-17, 22-20
4. Taryn Kloth/Maddie Ligon (LSU) def. Allison Beckman/Logan Manusky (COFC) 21-19, 21-14
5. Katja Ehlers/Taylor Foley (COFC) def. Olivia Beyer/Hunter Domanski (LSU) 21-15, 21-18