GULF SHORES, Ala. – The William Carey Beach Volleyball Team opened conference play with a pair of 5-0 victories over St. Thomas and Florida Memorial and a 4-1 victory over #8 Ave Marie.
 
On Friday, the Lady Crusaders wasted no time, as the duo of Sofia Bettini and Suelen Lima rolled to a 21-6, 21-3 victory in flight four with Gabriela Maceira and Barbara Guedes taking the point in flight two, 21-13, 21-12.
 
Maycee Gross and Lia Ramos Bonilla took care of business in flight five, winning 21-10, 21-5 to seal the victory. Finishing off the sweep were the pairs of Amy Wright/Elaina Anderson winning 21-7, 21-12 in flight three and Marcella Hermont/Lara Monteiro winning 21-6, 21-7 in flight one.
 
In the final match on Friday, WCU faced off against the Gyrenes of Ave Maria. Anderson and Bonilla put Carey on the board with a 21-18, 24-22 victory in flight four but AMU evened things with a three-set victory in flight two.
 
The Lady Crusaders quickly retook the lead, as Bettini and Gross won 21-16, 21-11 in flight five. The duo of Hermont and Lara Monteiro sealed the victory with a 21-18, 21-10 victory in flight one with Lima and Wright winning flight three 18-21, 21-15, 15-13.
 
WCU wrapped up the weekend against the Lions of FMU with Bonilla and Anderson picking up the first point with a 21-15, 21-14 victory in flight four. Maceira and Guedes followed with a hard fought 25-23, 21-18 victory in flight two to put Carey up 2-0.
 
Monteiro and Hermont sealed the win with a 21-4, 21-11 victory in flight one with Bettini and Gross winning flight five 21-9, 21-18. The pair of Wright and Lima finished things off with a three-set victory in flight three, winning 21-14, 14-21, 15-12.
 
The Lady Crusaders return to action Friday, March 14, as they head to Babson Park, Fla. to take on Webber International at 10:00 am and New College of Florida at 4:00 pm.