Megan and Nicole McNamara went undefeated en route to their first FISU Championship.
Photo by: Andre Goerschel - FISU
McNamaras Win World University Beach Volleyball Title
July 17, 2018 | Beach Volleyball
The Mcnamaras won the 2018 FISU World University Beach Volleyball Championship in Munich, Germany.
SOCIAL MEDIA:ย BeachVB on Twitterย |ย BeachVB on Facebookย |ย BeachVB on Instagram
MUNICH, Germany โ The best student-athletes in beach volleyball from all over the world converged inย Munich, Germany from July 9-13 to participate in the 9th Annual World University Beach Volleyball Championship and UCLA seniors-to-be, Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara, won the tournament title.ย There were 32 beach volleyball pairs from 29 different countries competingย on brand new courts in the historical Olympic Park.
"We had such an amazing week in Munich playing in the World University Championships," Megan McNamara said. "It was unbelievable to represent both UCLA and Canada at the same time!"
The McNamaras, seeded eighth, won their pool (H) going 3-0. They opened with a straight-set win (21-17, 21-16) over the 25th-seeded Nicole Dostalova/Anna Komarkovaย from the Czech Republic. Another straight-set win followed when they destroyed (21-5, 21-3) the 24th-seeded tandem ofย Thendiswa Bejancke Della/Manana Innocent Mosaiย of South Africa in the quickest match of the tournament (19 minutes). The twins completed pool play with their third-consecutive straight-set win (21-19, 21-19) over ninth-seeded Zoé Vergé-Dépré/Esmée Böbnerย of Switzerland.
Receiving a bye for the first round of the knockout stage, the twins advanced with a second-round win over sixth-seededย Tereza Kotlasova/Daniela Resovaย of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 22-20, 21-14. In the third round, the Bruin duo picked up a quarterfinal win over 32nd-seeded Claire Coppola/Kristen Nussย from the United States (LSU) in a three-set thriller, rallying to win 17-21, 21-18, 15-13. Coppola/Nussย qualified for the World University Beach Volleyball Championship by winning theย USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Championship in May. In the semifinals, the McNamaras had to come from behind again in three sets to defeat ninth-seeded Vergé-Dépré/Böbnerย of Switzerland, 26-28, 21-16, 15-8, the same Swiss pair from their pool.
In the championship match, the Bruin duo would meet Spain's third-seeded pair of Paula Soria/Belén Carro, which took out the second-seeded duo from the USA, Cal Poly'sย Emily Sonny and former UCLA Bruin, Torrey Van Widden, in the other semifinal. The McNamarasย got off to a good start, winning the first set 21-14, but dropped the second, 21-18, forcing a third and final set. From there, the Bruin duo cruised to a 15-10 win and the tournament title.
The McNamaras (Vancouver, BC, Canada), three-time All-Americans, set a UCLA record for wins in a season going 35-7 in 2018, all on court one. The 5-foot-9-inch twin sisters went 7-1 during postseason play this year including a 4-0 mark at the NCAA Championship in May, helping lead UCLA to its first-ever national title in beach volleyball. UCLA had arguably the toughest schedule in the nation, as evidenced by the McNamara's record of 30-7 against ranked teams (two more matches against ranked teams were truncated at the NCAA Championship). The twins were never swept on the season with all seven losses coming in three sets. Additionally, the duo was 31-0 in matches decided in two sets. Nicole McNamara was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year while she and Megan were named the Pac-12 Pair of the Year. The tandem was also tabbed to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team and to the NCAA All-Tournament Team on court one. They also recorded a personal-best winning streak of 16 consecutive duals during the season. Both players were named First Team All-Pac-12. The pair also clinched 11 victories in dual matches on the year for the Bruins.
Watch Day 5 (finals) Highlights byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 5, including the finals (women's final starts at 5:46:00) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 4, including the semifinals (twins' match starts at 4:37:50) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 3, including the quarterfinals (twins' match starts at 3:34:30) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 2, including the twins' final pool play match (5:10:25) vs. Switzerland byย clicking here.
For a complete list of results for the women's tournamentย click here.
ย
MUNICH, Germany โ The best student-athletes in beach volleyball from all over the world converged inย Munich, Germany from July 9-13 to participate in the 9th Annual World University Beach Volleyball Championship and UCLA seniors-to-be, Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara, won the tournament title.ย There were 32 beach volleyball pairs from 29 different countries competingย on brand new courts in the historical Olympic Park.
"We had such an amazing week in Munich playing in the World University Championships," Megan McNamara said. "It was unbelievable to represent both UCLA and Canada at the same time!"
The McNamaras, seeded eighth, won their pool (H) going 3-0. They opened with a straight-set win (21-17, 21-16) over the 25th-seeded Nicole Dostalova/Anna Komarkovaย from the Czech Republic. Another straight-set win followed when they destroyed (21-5, 21-3) the 24th-seeded tandem ofย Thendiswa Bejancke Della/Manana Innocent Mosaiย of South Africa in the quickest match of the tournament (19 minutes). The twins completed pool play with their third-consecutive straight-set win (21-19, 21-19) over ninth-seeded Zoé Vergé-Dépré/Esmée Böbnerย of Switzerland.
Receiving a bye for the first round of the knockout stage, the twins advanced with a second-round win over sixth-seededย Tereza Kotlasova/Daniela Resovaย of the Czech Republic in straight sets, 22-20, 21-14. In the third round, the Bruin duo picked up a quarterfinal win over 32nd-seeded Claire Coppola/Kristen Nussย from the United States (LSU) in a three-set thriller, rallying to win 17-21, 21-18, 15-13. Coppola/Nussย qualified for the World University Beach Volleyball Championship by winning theย USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Championship in May. In the semifinals, the McNamaras had to come from behind again in three sets to defeat ninth-seeded Vergé-Dépré/Böbnerย of Switzerland, 26-28, 21-16, 15-8, the same Swiss pair from their pool.
In the championship match, the Bruin duo would meet Spain's third-seeded pair of Paula Soria/Belén Carro, which took out the second-seeded duo from the USA, Cal Poly'sย Emily Sonny and former UCLA Bruin, Torrey Van Widden, in the other semifinal. The McNamarasย got off to a good start, winning the first set 21-14, but dropped the second, 21-18, forcing a third and final set. From there, the Bruin duo cruised to a 15-10 win and the tournament title.
The McNamaras (Vancouver, BC, Canada), three-time All-Americans, set a UCLA record for wins in a season going 35-7 in 2018, all on court one. The 5-foot-9-inch twin sisters went 7-1 during postseason play this year including a 4-0 mark at the NCAA Championship in May, helping lead UCLA to its first-ever national title in beach volleyball. UCLA had arguably the toughest schedule in the nation, as evidenced by the McNamara's record of 30-7 against ranked teams (two more matches against ranked teams were truncated at the NCAA Championship). The twins were never swept on the season with all seven losses coming in three sets. Additionally, the duo was 31-0 in matches decided in two sets. Nicole McNamara was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year while she and Megan were named the Pac-12 Pair of the Year. The tandem was also tabbed to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team and to the NCAA All-Tournament Team on court one. They also recorded a personal-best winning streak of 16 consecutive duals during the season. Both players were named First Team All-Pac-12. The pair also clinched 11 victories in dual matches on the year for the Bruins.
Watch Day 5 (finals) Highlights byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 5, including the finals (women's final starts at 5:46:00) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 4, including the semifinals (twins' match starts at 4:37:50) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 3, including the quarterfinals (twins' match starts at 3:34:30) byย clicking here.
Watch the full replay of Day 2, including the twins' final pool play match (5:10:25) vs. Switzerland byย clicking here.
For a complete list of results for the women's tournamentย click here.
ย
Players Mentioned
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
UCLA Beach Volleyball vs Long Beach (04-09-2024)
Tuesday, April 16
UCLA vs USC Highlights
Friday, April 29
UCLA Highlights vs. California
Friday, April 29
UCLA vs. USC Highlights
Thursday, April 28