Read Mary Shepherd's Blog From The Weekend (includes photos!)
Santa Clara's sand volleyball team travelled to Southern California last weekend to compete in the USA Volleyball Collegiate Beach Challenge. There were seven top 20 teams in the competition, including the No. 16 Broncos. Santa Clara played two matches vs. top 15 teams, including No. 1 Southern California, and also played in the pairs tournament.
The Broncos started play Saturday morning by dropping a 5-0 match to No. 1 Southern California. Santa Clara then had a couple of hours to prepare for No. 14 LMU and lost 4-1. Danielle Rottman and Sabrina Clayton defeated their opponents in three sets at No. 2.
In the pairs competition, SCU's 1s, Kirsten Mead and Nikki Hess defeated Concordia in their first match (21-11, 21-13), but then lost to No. 2 Hawaii's 1s in two sets.
In the silver pairs competition, Clayton and Rottman had a bye in the first round and then defeated Concordia's 2s 21-11 and 21-13. They lost in next round to Hawaii's 2s team in two sets.
Also playing in the silver pairs competition, SCU's 3s, GiGi Cresto and Jensen Cunningham, lost to Pepperdine's 3s team in the opening round.
In the bronze competition, Lacey Maas and Mary Shepherd, playing together for the first time this season, lost 2-0 in the opening round to Pepperdine's 5s.
Santa Clara's 4s, Katrina Inch and Sarah Vacarro, were given a bye in the first round and advanced to the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Concordia's 4s (21-19, 21-14). They lost in the semifinals to Hawaii's 4s, who went on to play in the finals.
Playing in the 6s compeition, Natasha Calkins and Gianna Ruggeroli lost in the first round to USC's 7s, 21-10 and 21-9.
Santa Clara will play at Cal on Wed., April 15 at 3 pm before hosting their final home sand match of the year at Los Gatos High School on Fri., April 17 at 3 pm.