SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Santa Clara beach volleyball opens the 2019 season with a pair of matchups against Bay Area foes on Saturday morning. The Broncos take to the sand against Cal at 8:30 a.m. and San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. at the Clark Kerr Sand Courts in Berkeley, California.
The Broncos have eight returners and nine newcomers this season. The returner contingent includes their winningest individual from 2018 in Michelle Gajdka, who claimed six matches. Santa Clara also brings back Allison Kantor, Tessie Powers, Taylor Odom, Anna McCreadie, Brittany Gillingham, Chloe Loreen and Gretchen Reinert.
Alexa Dreyer is the lone upperclassman in the group of newcomers and joins the team alongside fellow SCU indoor players Alex Anthony, Kamrin Caoili, Kathryn Decker, Liliana Light, Natalia Rentsch and Michelle Shaffer. Caroline Caruso and Kathryn LeBaron are a pair of newcomers that will play beach only for the Broncos.
THE OPPONENTS
No. 12 Cal posted a 24-8 overall mark in 2018, including a 7-0 record at home. The Golden Bears swept the only meeting with Santa Clara on March 1 of last season.
San Francisco begins its 2019 season on Friday against San José State and Feather River College in Los Gatos, California. The Dons defeated the Broncos 3-2 in each of their two meetings in 2018; they went 4-11 on the year.
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GO BRONCOS!
