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GULF SHORES, Ala. -- No. 2 UCLA (30-5) couldn't overcome another slow start and fell to No. 3 Pepperdine (26-3) in a winner's bracket semifinal of the 2017 NCAA Championships on Gulf Beach on Friday afternoon.

UCLA dropped three of the five first sets in the dual to the Waves. But the sophomore pair of Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara put the Bruins up 1-0 with a straight-set win on court one over Pepperdine's Maddy Roh and Delaney Knudsen, 21-16, 21-16.

Seconds later, Pepperdine tied it at 1-1 with a straight-set win on court four as Anika Wilson and Deahna Kraft defeated UCLA's senior Jordan Anderson and sophomore Izzy Carey in straight sets, 21-18, 21-16.

The Waves then took a 2-1 lead after Corinne Quiggle and Brittany Howard defeated UCLA's senior Kamila Tan and freshman Madi Yeomans in straight sets, 21-17, 21-17.

Court five was the deciding court as the Waves' Sarah Seiber and Nikki Lyons defeated the Bruins' freshman pair of Savvy Simo and Lily Justine in two close sets, 21-19, 21-18.

The Bruins' junior Elise Zappia and freshman Torrey Van Winden's match was truncated with Pepperdine's Skylar Caputo and Heidi Dyer, 21-17, 16-21.

UCLA is relegated to the contender's bracket and will face No. 4 Florida State (28-8) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. CT/11:00 a.m. PT on TruTV and NCAA.com.

No. 3 Pepperdine 3, No. 2 UCLA 1 – Gulf Beach – Gulf Shores, Ala. – Friday, May 5, 2017
1. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA) def. Delaney Knudsen/Maddy Roh (PEP), 21-16, 21-16
2. Corinne Quiggle/Brittany Howard (PEP) def. Kamila Tan/Madi Yeomans (UCLA), 21-17, 21-17
3. Elise Zappia/Torrey Van Winden (UCLA) vs. Skylar Caputo/Heidi Dyer (PEP), 21-17, 16-21
4. Anika Wilson/Deahna Kraft (PEP) def. Jordan Anderson/Izzy Carey (UCLA), 21-18, 21-16
5. Sarah Seiber/Nikki Lyons (PEP) def. Lily Justine/Savvy Simo (UCLA), 21-19, 21-18
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2, 5*