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University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
LSU
UCLA Splits on Day One of Texas Invitational
March 27, 2026 | Beach Volleyball
The Bruins began the tournament with a 5-0 win over the Tigers, their fifth sweep in a row and 10th of the season. The back two courts โ No. 4 pair Ava Williamson and Adelina Okazaki and No. 5 pair Kenzie Brower and Mallory LaBreche put UCLA ahead early, 2-0, with quick two-set victories. Williamson/Okazaki beat Zayna Meyer/Ryan Lambert, 21-15, 21-12, while Brower/Labreche defeated Kate Baker/Emily Hellmuth, 21-17, 21-12. Kaley Mathews and Ensley Alden clinched the match for UCLA on court 3 with a swift 21-13, 21-7 win over Skylar Martin/Tatum Finlanson. The 1s and 3s each went to three sets after LSU won the second sets on both courts, but Sally Perez and Maggie Boyd locked down a 15-8 win in the third set on court 1, and Alexa Fernandez and Harper Cooper finalized the sweep with a 15-13 third-set victory.
In the second match, under windy conditions, the Bruins fell behind 2-0 after Texas won its matches on courts 4 and 5. With no margin for error, Fernandez/Cooper won on court 3, 21-9, 21-14, and Mathews/Alden came back to force a third set on court 2 en route to a 17-21, 21-13, 15-7 win. The dual came down to court 1, where Perez/Boyd won the first set, 21-13, but dropped the second, 21-12. With all eyes on their court in the third-set tie-breaker, the Bruins fell behind 12-9 but reeled off two straight points to cut the lead to 12-11. The Texas pair of Brecht Piersma/Katie Hashman, however, won the next two points to set up match point. On their second match point, the host team converted to take the match, 13-21, 21-12, 15-12.
UP NEXT: UCLA will face North Florida and Florida Atlantic on Saturday morning to close out the Texas Invitational.
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 12 LSU, 5-0
Austin, Texas
Friday, Mar. 27, 2026 โข 1:30 PM PT
Records: UCLA (16-2), LSU (13-10)
1. Sally Perez/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. def. Julia Sprecher/Kenzey McGatlin (LSU) 21-16, 18-21, 15-8
2. Kaley Mathews/Ensley Alden (UCLA) def. Skylar Martin/Tatum Finlason (LSU) 21-13, 21-7
3. Alexa Fernandez/Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Aubrey O'Gorman/Bella Lagemann (LSU) 21-17, 18-21, 15-13
4. Ava Williamson/Adelina Okazaki (UCLA) def. Zayna Meyer/Ryan Lambert (LSU) 21-15, 21-12
5. Kenzie Brower/Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Kate Baker/Emily Hellmuth (LSU) 21-17, 21-12
Order of finish: 4, 5, 2*, 1, 3
No. 6 Texas def. No. 1 UCLA, 3-2
Austin, Texas
Friday, Mar. 27, 2026 โข 4:30 PM PT Records: UCLA (16-3), Texas (14-6)
1. Brecht Piersma/Katie Hashman (Texas) def. Sally Perez/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) 13-21, 21-12, 15-12
2. Kaley Mathews/Ensley Alden (UCLA) def. Anna Pavelkova/Kacka Pavelkova (Texas) 17-21, 21-13, 15-7
3. Harper Cooper/Alexa Fernandez (UCLA) def. Savannah Thomas/Macey Butler (Texas) 21-9, 21-14
4. Emma Grace Robertson/Lily Davis (Texas) def. Ava Williamson/Adelina Okazaki (UCLA) 21-17, 25-23
5. Karin Zolnercikova/Chloe Charles (Texas) def. Kenzie Brower/Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) 21-12, 21-18
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1*
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