SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara beach volleyball split of pair of games on Friday, falling to No. 12 Cal 4-1 before defeating Pacific 4-0 in a West Coast Confererence match. In between the matches, four Bronco seniors - Alexia Inman, KT LeBaron, Natalia Rentsch and Michelle Shaffer - were recognized in their final matches at the Santa Clara Beach Volleyball Courts.
Match 1: No. 12 Cal 4 – Santa Clara 1
Earlier in the day, the WCC named Shaffer a preseason All-League selection and she showed exactly why by teaming up with Julia Sangiacomo atop the lineup to defeat Cal's tandem of Maya Gessner and Ana Costa in three sets, 19-21, 21-15, 23-21. The win got the Broncos (8-15) on the scoreboard at 2-1, however, the Bears (21-9) took the next game to clinch the match.
At No. 5, Natalie Martin and Alex Young-Gomez defeated Alexia Gallegos and Jordan Bennett 21-15, 21-13 to secure the team win for Cal.
Match 2: Santa Clara 4 - Pacific 0
In the second match of the day, Santa Clara (9-15, 3-3 WCC) cruised past Pacific 4-0 to pick up a conference win with the three active seniors each picking up a win. Only four matches were played with the Broncos sweeping them, starting with Sangiacomo and Shaffer quickly disposing Sammie Sheppard and Hania Taduran 21-7, 21-10 at No. 1.
Elena Radeff and Alexie Epstein followed with a 21-15, 22-20 victory over Brooklynn Thomas and Shahrzad Sadeghi at No. 3 to put the Broncos up 2-0.
Outgoing senior Inman teamed up with Casey Campbell at No. 2 to beat Jenny Todd and Lucy Carpenter 21-12, 21-11 for the match clincher. Rentsch picked up her senior day victory alongside Sophia Tulino at No. 4 taking down Megan Nishimura and Darina Kumanova 21-13, 21-16 to close out the match.
Pacific dropped to 0-16, 0-1 WCC on the season.
NEXT UP
Santa Clara heads to Moraga to face Saint Mary's in a conference tilt on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
RESULTS
#12 Cal 4, Santa Clara 1
Apr 15, 2022 at Santa Clara, Calif. (SC Beach Volleyball Courts)
1. Julia Sangiacomo/Michelle Shaffer (SCUBVB) def. Maya Gessner/Ana Costa (CAL) 19-21, 21-15, 23-21
2. Ainsley Radell/Ava Mann (CAL) def. Casey Campbell/Elena Radeff (SCUBVB) 21-9, 21-15
3. Brooke Buchner/Ashley Delgado (CAL) def. Alexie Epstein/Alexia Inman (SCUBVB) 21-11, 21-13
4. Lexi McKeown/Ella Dreibholz (CAL) def. Sophia Tulino/Claire Doud (SCUBVB) 21-19, 21-16
5. Natalie Martin/Alex Young-Gomez (CAL) def. Alexia Gallegos/Jordan Bennett (SCUBVB) 21-15, 21-13
Ext. Kate Bierly/Ella Sears (CAL) def. Natalia Rentsch/Elyse Erickson (SCUBVB) 21-14, 21-13
Match Notes
Cal 21-9; National ranking #12
Santa Clara 8-15
Order of finish: Doubles (3,4,1,5,2);
Santa Clara 4, Pacific 0
Apr 15, 2022 at Santa Clara, Calif. (SC Beach Volleyball Courts)
1. Julia Sangiacomo/Michelle Shaffer (SCUBVB) def. Sammie Sheppard/Hania Taduran (PACBVB) 21-7, 21-10
2. Casey Campbell/Alexia Inman (SCUBVB) def. Jenny Todd/Lucy Carpenter (PACBVB) 21-12, 21-11
3. Elena Radeff/Alexie Epstein (SCUBVB) def. Brooklynn Thomas/Shahrzad Sadeghi (PACBVB) 21-15, 22-20
4. Natalia Rentsch/Sophia Tulino (SCUBVB) def. Megan Nishimura/Darina Kumanova (PACBVB) 21-13, 21-16
Match Notes
Pacific 0-16, 0-1 WCC
Santa Clara 9-15, 3-3 WCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2,4);
Only four matches played.
