Gulf Shores, Ala. - The inaugural season of Stetson sand volleyball concluded this weekend as freshman Julie Bassett (Wadsworth, Ohio) and sophomore Kaley Melville (New Germany, Minn.) competed in the inaugural AVCA Collegiate National Championships. The Hatter duo earned a win in pool play of the Pairs bracket on Friday and claimed the #12 seed in Sunday's 16-entry single-elimination championship bracket.

Competing as one of three entries in Pool C on Friday, Bassett and Melville fell by identical 21-15, 21-11 scores to Kim Hill and Lilla Frederick of Pepperdine as well as to the Caitlin Ledoux/Tara Roenicke combination from Long Beach State. The Hatters earned a win in their last match of the afternoon, stopping College of Charleston's Elyse Chubb and Lizzie Theesfeld 21-18, 21-17.

Their performance earnd them the #12 seed for Sunday's single-elimination bracket where they again matched up with Ledoux and Roenicke. The 49ers were victorious in this affair too, beating Bassett and Melville 21-12, 21-11. Ledoux and Roenicke ended the day as national runners-up with Hill and Frederick reaching the semifinals. Pepperdine's Caitlin Racich and Summer Ross won the inaugural AVCA pairs national title; in Saturday's team competition their Waves knocked off Florida State, Long Beach State and College of Charleston to win the national title as a unit as well.

Stetson finished its inaugural season with a winning 9-8 record and is slated to return 90 percent of its starting lineup next year.

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