UCLA
Dad Center Invitational
Madie Smith and Elise Zappia Win Gold at "Dad" Center Founder's Cup
March 23, 2015 | Beach Volleyball
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HONOLULU - The ninth-ranked Bruins sent a pair of teams to compete at the inaugural "Dad" Center Founder's Cup at Queen's Beach in Waikiki and both are arriving home today with some hardware.
The UCLA No.1 doubles pair of Kamila Tan and Ivey Schmitt finished second in Pool "Duke" play on Saturday. They defeated Oregon State's Dana Backlund and Kory Cheshire in straight sets, 21-13, 21-15, before falling to USC's Alexa Stonish and Paige Hines in straight sets, 21-18, 21-17.
At #2 doubles, the Bruins' Elise Zappia and Madie Smith also finished second in Pool "Dad" on Saturday. They defeated Oregon's Kacey Nady and Frankie Shebby, 21-17, 20-22, 15-10 and then fell to CSUN's Casey Hinger and Kelcie Randazzo in straight sets, 25-23, 21-19.
Both teams finished in the top two of pool play and advanced to Sunday's Championship bracket.
Zappia and Smith defeated USC's Stonish and Paige in the semifinals and then avenged an earlier loss to CSUN's Hinger and Randazzo in the title match to win gold.
Tan and Schmitt lost to Hinger and Randazzo in the semifinals but bounced back to avenge a pool play loss to USC's Stonish and Paige to win bronze.
UCLA returns to action this Saturday, March 28, when it hosts No. 13 Saint Mary's at 11:00 a.m. at the first home match for the Bruins at the Sunset Canyon Sand Volleyball Courts.
