SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Playing in the Mid-Season Invitational on the Santa Cruz Main Beach, the Santa Clara beach volleyball team earned a split against a pair of WCC opponents, blanking Pacific 5-0 in the morning session before dropping the afternoon contest against No. 5 LMU, 5-0.
Match 1: Santa Clara 5 – Pacific 0
Santa Clara (6-8, 1-0 WCC) swept Pacific 5-0 in the WCC opener dropping just one set along the way.
The match clincher came at No. 4 pairs Jordan Bennett and Alexia Gallegos who defeated Darina Kumanova and Megan Nishimura 21-14, 21-18 for the third point of the match.
The Tigers remained winless on the season at 0-9 and 0-1 in league play.
Match 2: No. 5 ranked LMU 5 – Santa Clara 0
No. 5 nationally-ranked LMU flexed its muscle beating Santa Clara 5-0 without dropping a set.
The Broncos (6-9, 1-1) utilized the same lineup as the first match but closest they could get to winning a set was at 21-19 in the second set on flight two when the tandem of Julia Sangiacomo and Sophia Tulino fell 21-14, 21-19 to Avery Poppinga and Marine Kinna.
LMU improved to 16-1 overall and 2-0 in WCC action.
NEXT UP
Santa Clara faces another nationally-ranked opponent, this time against No. 16 Pepperdine at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
RESULTS
Santa Clara 5, Pacific 0
Mar 25, 2022 at Santa Cruz, Calif. (Santa Cruz Main Beach)
1. Alexia Inman/Michelle Shaffer (SCUBVB) def. Hania Taduran/Sammie Sheppard (PACBVB) 21-9, 21-11
2. Julia Sangiacomo/Sophia Tulino (SCUBVB) def. Jenny Todd/Lucy Carpenter (PACBVB) 19-21, 21-16, 15-9
3. Elena Radeff/Casey Campbell (SCUBVB) def. Brooklynn Thomas/Shahrzad Sadeghi (PACBVB) 21-19, 21-16
4. Jordan Bennett/Alexia Gallegos (SCUBVB) def. Darina Kumanova/Megan Nishimura (PACBVB) 21-14, 21-18
5. Alexie Epstein/Claire Doud (SCUBVB) def. Jewel Turner/Francheska Aguilar (PACBVB) 21-7, 21-13
Match Notes
Santa Clara 6-8, 1-0 WCC
Pacific 0-9, 0-1 WCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,5,4,3,2);
#5 LMU 5, Santa Clara 0
Mar 25, 2022 at Santa Cruz, Calif. (Santa Cruz Main Beach)
1. Reka Orsi Toth/Megan Rice (LMUBVB) def. Alexia Inman/Michelle Shaffer (SCUBVB) 21-12, 21-15
2. Avery Poppinga/Marine Kinna (LMUBVB) def. Julia Sangiacomo/Sophia Tulino (SCUBVB) 21-14, 21-19
3. Selina Marolf/Abbey Thorup (LMUBVB) def. Elena Radeff/Casey Campbell (SCUBVB) 21-13, 21-10
4. Isabelle Reffel/Jacinda Ramirez (LMUBVB) def. Alexia Gallegos/Jordan Bennett (SCUBVB) 21-11, 21-14
5. Cassie Chinn/Madi Firnett (LMUBVB) def. Alexie Epstein/Claire Doud (SCUBVB) 21-10, 21-10
Match Notes
Santa Clara 6-9, 1-1 WCC
LMU 16-1, 2-0 WCC; National ranking #5
Order of finish: Doubles (3,5,4,2,1);
