TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Beach Volleyball team is back in action this Sunday with two matches at the Boise State Invitational. The Wildcats are looking to build on a gritty performance at last weekend's Wildcat Spring Challenge in Tucson, where they split their final day with a 4-1 loss to No. 1 TCU and a 3-2 victory over Pepperdine.
Arizona showed resilience during the April 4-5 home tournament, pushing top-ranked TCU in the morning before regrouping to defeat Pepperdine in the afternoon. Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker continued their strong season with a straight-set win against Pepperdine's Kenzi McSpadden and Gabriella Perez, dominating 21-10, 21-13 on court three. Adriana Nieves Papaleo and Kate Phillips earned a solid win on court one, bouncing back from the morning loss to defeat their opponents and give Arizona early momentum. On court five, Brooke Boyko and Katie Lambeth sealed the team win in a close three-set battle, helping the Wildcats finish their final home tournament of the season on a high note.
Boise State Invitational Schedule
Sunday, April 13
Arizona vs. University of Portland (10:00 a.m. MST)
Live Scoring | Live Video
Arizona vs. Boise State (12:30 p.m. MST)
Live Scoring | Live Video
Series History vs. This Week's Opponents
University of Portland – This will be the first ever meeting between Arizona and Portland in beach volleyball. The Pilots enter the weekend with a 4-8 record on the season. They are 2-1 at home, 1-1 away, and 1-6 at neutral sites. Portland is currently on a one-match win streak.
Boise State – Arizona holds a 14-2 all-time advantage against Boise State, though the Wildcats have dropped the last two matches. The most recent duel was a close 3-2 loss on March 1, 2025. Prior to that, Arizona had won 14 straight matches in the series. The Wildcats are 3-1 on the road and 7-1 at home against the Broncos.
Noting the Wildcats
Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker continue to lead the team with steady play. The pair won both their matches on day two of the Wildcat Spring Challenge on court three, showing strong teamwork and consistent serves. The pair is 18-7 at the No. 3 spot in the lineup this season.
Annie Kost and Elin Kaiser had a sweep on day two of last weekend, defeating Emi Erickson and Deanie Woodruff 21-15, 21-19 on court four against Pepperdine.
Brooke Boyko and Katie Lambeth had a tough three-set match but came out with a win. They hustled on every play and helped Arizona clinch the team victory against Pepperdine.
