UCLA
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
No. 1 UCLA Wins Two, Drops One
February 29, 2020 | Beach Volleyball
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 1 UCLA (7-2) couldn't close out the day with another victory and settled for a 2-1 record at the Tiger Beach Challenge. The Bruins opened Saturday with a 5-0 sweep of Texas A&M - Corpus Christi at the LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium and followed that up with a 4-1 win over Tulane. In the nightcap, UCLA dropped a 3-2 decision at No. 2 LSU, the second straight week the Tigers have beaten the Bruins.
The Bruins, which lost five starters from last year's NCAA Championship team, start five different pairs in the lineup from a year ago as well. UCLA, which had to play three duals on the day compared to just two for LSU, mixed up its lineup throughout the day to try and stay fresh.
In the morning win over Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, the Bruins dropped only one set. Senior Savvy Simo and sophomore Abby Van Winkle defeated Abigail Devido and Emma Coudon in straight sets on court one, 21-14, 21-14. Sophomore Lindsey Sparks and freshman Lexi Denaburg posted a straight-set win on court two over TAMCC's Rachel Young and Fanny Ahman, 21-18, 21-11. Court three was the only flight that went the distance as redshirt freshman Jaden Whitmarsh and junior Mac May beat Brooke Adkisson and Giuliana Corrales in a three-set thriller, 21-10, 17-21, 15-11. A new pairing in freshman duo Devon Newberry and Rileigh Powers posted a straight-set win on court four over Kylie Kvam and Taylor Horsfall, 21-11, 21-19. Junior Megan Muret and senior Madi Yeomans made easy work of Demi McInnis and Sam Dumity on court five, 21-13, 21-7. Graduate transfer Jacqueline Quade and redshirt sophomore Cami Sanchez beat the Islanders' Hannah Smyers and Anna Erftenbeck, 21-17, 21-18, in exhibition play on court six.
Then in the afternoon match, the Bruins defeated Tulane, 4-1. The Bruins took an early 1-0 lead with a win on court five when Muret and Quade took down Tulane's Rio Frohoff and Gabby Becerra, 21-18, 21-15. But the Green Wave tied it up at 1-1 on court four as Addie Hermstad and Samantha Mehlman defeated Powers and Yeomans, 22-20, 21-16. But the Bruins reeled off three-straight wins on courts 1, 2, and 3 to seal the dual victory. Court one featured the Bruins' Simo and Van Winkle, which took down Kaylie McHugh and Eva Torruella, 21-16, 21-16. Sparks and Denaburg posted a straight-set win on court two over Tarin Mergener and Kendall Peters, 21-16, 21-13. On court three, Justine and Monkhouse beat Tulane's Ashton Mares and Ellie Leitko, 21-17, 21-17. In exhibition play on court six, Whitmarsh and May beat Haley Gibson and Meghan Doyle 21-15, 21-7.
In the nightcap, the Bruins couldn't rally to defeat the Tigers in the rubber match, who now have a 2-1 series lead over the Bruins on the year. LSU's court four pair of Kelli Agnew and Taryn Koth still have not lost a set and posted a 21-17, 21-17 win over the Bruins' Newberry and Powers for a 1-0 lead. UCLA tied it up at 1-1 when Muret and Yeomans rallied to defeat Hunter Domanski and Allison Coens in a three-set thriller, 21-9, 18-21, 15-11. LSU went up 2-1 when the Tigers' court one All-American pair of Kristen Nuss and Claire Coppola defeated UCLA's Van Winkle and Simo in two tight sets, 21-18, 22-20. The clinching point came on court two as Jess Schaben and Sydney Moore outlasted UCLA's Lindsey Sparks and Lexi Denaburg 22-20, 15-21, 15-11. The Bruins made the score a little closer with a three-set win on court three by Monkhouse and Justine over Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Toni Rodriguez 19-21, 21-19, 15-11. In exhibition action, Olivia Powers and Kahlee York of LSU defeated the Bruins' new pairing of Cami Sanchez and Mac May 21-15, 21-16.
UCLA returns to action next weekend when it hosts the Pac-12 South Tournament, March 7-8, at Mapes Beach and at Ocean Park in Santa Monica, Calif. UCLA will play all four of its duals at Mapes Beach, opening with Arizona State on Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. PT.
No. 1 UCLA def. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, 5-0
LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium • Baton Rouge, La.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Records: UCLA (6-1), TAMCC (0-1)
1. Abby Van Winkle/Savvy Simo (UCLA) def. Abigail Devido/Emma Coudon (AMCC) 21-14, 21-14
2. Lindsey Sparks/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Rachel Young/Fanny Ahman (AMCC) 21-18, 21-11
3. Mac May/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Brooke Adkisson/Giuliana Corrales (AMCC) 21-10, 17-21, 15-11
4. Devon Newberry/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) def. Kylie Kvam/Taylor Horsfall (AMCC) 21-11, 21-19
5. Megan Muret/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) def. Demi McInnis/Sam Dumity (AMCC) 21-13, 21-7
Ext. Jacqueline Quade/Cami Sanchez (UCLA) def. Hannah Smyers/Anna Erftenbeck (AMCC) 21-17, 21-18
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2*, 1, 3
No. 1 UCLA def. Tulane, 4-1
LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium • Baton Rouge, La.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Records: UCLA (7-1), TUL (3-1)
1. Abby Van Winkle/Savvy Simo (UCLA) def. Kaylie McHugh/Eva Torruella (TUL) 21-16, 21-16
2. Lindsey Sparks/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Tarin Mergener/Kendall Peters (TUL) 21-16, 21-13
3. Lily Justine/Lea Monkhouse (UCLA) def. Ashton Mares/Ellie Leitko (TUL) 21-17, 21-17
4. Addie Hermstad/Samantha Mehlman (TUL) def. Rileigh Powers/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) 22-20, 21-16
5. Megan Muret/Jacqueline Quade (UCLA) def. Rio Frohoff/Gabby Becerra (TUL) 21-18, 21-15
Ext. Jaden Whitmarsh/Mac May (UCLA) def. Haley Gibson/Meghan Doyle (TUL) 21-15, 21-7
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3*, 1
No. 2 LSU def. No. 1 UCLA, 3-2
LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium • Baton Rouge, La.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Records: UCLA (7-2), LSU (5-2)
1. Kristen Nuss/Claire Coppola (LSU) def. Abby Van Winkle/Savvy Simo (UCLA) 21-18, 22-20
2. Jess Schaben/Sydney Moore (LSU) def. Lindsey Sparks/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) 22-20, 15-21, 15-11
3. Lea Monkhouse/Lily Justine (UCLA) def. Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope/Toni Rodriguez (LSU) 19-21, 21-19, 15-11
4. Kelli Agnew/Taryn Kloth (LSU) def. Devon Newberry/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) 21-17, 21-17
5. Megan Muret/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) def. Hunter Domanski/Allison Coens (LSU) 21-9, 18-21, 15-11
Ext. Olivia Powers/Kahlee York (LSU) def. Cami Sanchez/Mac May (UCLA) 21-15, 21-16
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2*, 3
