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GULF SHORES, Ala. -- No. 2 UCLA (30-4) shook off a slow start to post a 3-0 win over No. 7 LSU (26-7) in its opening match of the 2017 NCAA Championships on Gulf Beach on Friday morning.
UCLA dropped three of the five first sets in the dual to the Tigers. But the freshman pair of Lily Justine and Savvy Simo posted the only straight-set victory on court five, defeating LSU's Megan Davenport and Riley Young, 21-18, 21-16. The win gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara led most of the first set against LSU's Claire Coppola and Kristen Nuss but lost the final three points, falling 21-18. But the sophomore duo rallied for an easy 21-11 victory in the second set and posted a commanding 15-10 win in the third set to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.
Senior Kamila Tan and freshman Madi Yeomans did the opposite, winning a tight first set, 21-19, on court two over the Tigers' Emmy Allen and Maddie Ligon. After dropping the second set, 21-17, the Bruin tandem also won the third set, 15-10, which culminated in a huge block by Yeomans, giving UCLA the dual victory, 3-0.
On court four, UCLA's senior Jordan Anderson and sophomore Izzy Carey were one point away from winning their dual against Cati Leak and Callan Molle, 27-29, 21-18, 14-11 (truncated).
But the Bruins had some work to do on court three, which was also truncated, as Katie Lindelow and Olivia Powers led UCLA's junior Elise Zappia and freshman Torrey Van Winden, 27-25, 16-21, 13-8.
The Bruins advanced to face No. 3 Pepperdine today at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET on TruTV. The Waves defeated No. 6 Long Beach State 3-0 in their first round match. Pepperdine defeated UCLA 3-2 in the only meeting this season in the opening week of play in Malibu, Calif., back on March 4.
No. 2 UCLA 3, No. 7 LSU 0 – Gulf Beach – Gulf Shores, Ala. – Friday, May 5, 2017
1. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA) def. Claire Coppola/Kristen Nuss (LSU), 18-21, 21-11, 15-10
2. Kamila Tan/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) def. Emmy Allen/Maddie Ligon (LSU), 21-19, 17-21, 15-10
3. Elise Zappia/Torrey Van Winden (UCLA) vs. Katie Lindelow/Olivia Powers (LSU), 25-27, 21-16, 13-8 (truncated)
4. Jordan Anderson/Izzy Carey (UCLA) vs. Cati Leak/Callan Molle (LSU), 27-29, 21-18, 14-11 (truncated)
5. Lily Justine/Savvy Simo (UCLA) def. Megan Davenport/Riley Young (LSU), 21-18, 21-16
Order of finish: 5, 1, 2*