Stevenson women’s beach volleyball’s 2024 campaign ended in the national championship on Sunday, April 14. They bowed out in the semifinals after a tight 3-1 loss to Berry College.
In the following third place match, the Mustangs toppled East Texas Baptist University in the bronze medal match to secure third place in the nation in yet another impressive season.
Because there were so many matches, all duels were played until one team had three victorious pairs, rather than the typical pairs No. 1-5 versus pairs No. 1-5 format
The Mustangs started hot, tearing through the opening-day matches with scores of 3-0, 3-0, and 3-1.
No. 2 pair of Nicolette Fuglestad and Taylor Jones and No. 3 pair of Maddie Clouser and Hannah Naja went undefeated to start the weekend. Both maintained a perfect 6-0 set record heading into Sunday morning.
Fuglestad and Jones would remain perfect on Sunday, being the lone win against Berry College in straight sets. They finished off the perfect weekend with a dominant 2-0 win against ETBU.
“I feel like Taylor, and I grew exponentially throughout the year,” Fuglestad said. “Getting to play with someone like Taylor who has so much experience and skill in this sport was a huge part of why our partnership was so successful. Towards the end of the season, the work we put in started to pay off as we were able to find our rhythm and go undefeated in the final three tournaments we played in together.”
Fuglestad also raved about the team and the effort they put into it week after week.
“I’m grateful for the team we had this year,” Fuglestad said. “Even though this season didn’t end the way we wanted, there’s no doubt that everyone on our team was giving 100 percent for every point over the weekend. Our season can be quite exhausting, but that never stopped anyone on our team from working to be the best player possible. This season’s end will hopefully fuel us for next season, and I’m excited to see what we’ll accomplish next.”
For Jones, a senior and member of the 2022 AVCA Division III Small College National Championship Team, it is bittersweet to end her career. However, she is grateful for the memories that the program has brought her.
“I enjoyed playing and traveling with this team all season, we are all close so it’s always a lot of fun,” Jones said. “Nic and I were able to win a lot of matches individually, and the team had a winning record as well. There are a lot of memories from the over the years that make this program special to me like competing in the first national championship and being able to win it. I was also able to create a lot of memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Stevenson women’s beach volleyball’s 2024 season was yet another successful one. Their 24-9 record was the second-highest number of wins in program history. This leaves nothing but good vibrations and excitement within the team as they flip the page and anticipate beginning the next chapter towards a championship next season.
