UCLA
LSU vs. UCLA
No. 2 UCLA Advances to NCAA Championship Dual
May 04, 2019 | Beach Volleyball
SOCIAL MEDIA:ย BeachVB on Twitterย |ย BeachVB on Facebookย |ย BeachVB on Instagram
GULF SHORES, Ala.,ย -- No. 2 UCLA advanced to the title match of theย 2019 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship with a 3-0 win over No. 5 LSUย on Saturday morningย at Gulf Shores Public Beach. It marks the second straight year that the Bruins have reached the NCAA Championship dual.
The Bruins, who improved to 34-3 on the year, will face the winner of the Contender's Bracket Final, which includesย No. 5 LSU and No. 1 USC.ย The Bruins will play the winner for the NCAA Championship at 11:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 5ย on ESPN.
The Bruins opened the dual by winning the first set on all five courts and never looked back. Senior Zana Muno and freshman Abby Van Winkle put the first point on the board for UCLA with a straight-set win on court three over Toni Rodgriguez and Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope, 21-15, 21-12. Muno had a double-double of 17 kills and 17 digs and two aces while Van Winkle tallied 10 kills, three blocks and one dig.
UCLA went up 2-0 after senior Sarah Sponcil and junior Lily Justine posted a straight-set win on court two over LSU's Olivia Powers and Kelli Agnew, 21-9, 21-17. Sponcil registered 18 kills, 17 digs and two aces while Justine had 14 kills, six digs, four blocks and two aces.
Senior Izzy Carey and freshman Lindsey Sparks clinched the dual with a straight-set win on court five, 21-8, 21-18, over the Tigers' Allison Coens and Hunter Domanski. Sparks tallied 13 kills, 15 digs and one ace while Carey totaled 10 kills, seven digs, four blocks and three aces.
Seniors Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara were headed to a third set on court one when the dual was clinched. They won the first set 21-19 but dropped the second, 21-15, to LSU's Claire Coppola and Kristen Nuss. Nicole McNamara had 15ย kills, four digs and three aces while Megan McNamara chipped in eight kills and five digs.
Juniors Madi Yeomans and Savvy Simo were seconds away from clinching the dual on court four over LSU's Olivia Beyer and Maddie Ligon, 21-16, 20-15. Both Bruins posted double-doubles with Simo registering 11 kills, 10 digs and one ace whileย Yeomans tallied 13 kills and 12 digs to go with two aces.
Watch the full broadcast replay ofย No. 2 UCLA vs. No. 5 LSU byย clicking here.
Watch the court one replay featuring the McNamara twins byย clicking here.
Watch the court two replay featuring Justine and Sponcil byย clicking here.
Watch the court three replay featuring Muno and Van Winkle byย clicking here.
Watch the court four replay featuring Simo and Yeomans byย clicking here.
Watch the court five replay featuring Carey and Sparks byย clicking here.
NCAA Championship โ Winner's Bracket Final
No. 2 UCLA def. No. 5 LSU, 3-0
Gulf Shores Public Beach โข Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Records: UCLA (34-3), LSUย (31-7)
1. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara (UCLA) vs. Claire Coppola/Kristen Nuss (LSU), 21-19, 15-21 truncated
2. Lily Justine/Sarah Sponcil (UCLA) def. Olivia Powers/Kelli Agnew (LSU), 21-9, 21-17
3. Zana Muno/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Toni Rodriguez/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU), 21-15, 21-12
4. Madi Yeomans/Savvy Simo (UCLA) vs. Olivia Beyer/Maddie Ligon (LSU), 21-16, 20-15 truncated
5. Izzy Carey/Lindsey Sparks (UCLA) def. Allison Coens/Hunter Domanski (LSU), 21-8, 21-18
Order of finish:ย 3, 2, 5*
