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No. 1 UCLA Sweeps Three Top 10 Teams to Win Pac-12 Title
April 28, 2023 | Beach Volleyball
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STANFORD, Calif. -- No. 1 UCLA (37-3) came all the way back through the contender's bracket with three straight 3-0 sweeps of No. 3 USC (28-5), No. 8 Stanford (28-12) and No. 9 California (28-9) on Friday to capture its third Pac-12 Conference Championship at Stanford's Beach Volleyball Stadium. The Bruins improved to 17-22 all-time against the Trojans, 20-1 against the Cardinal, and 13-0 against the Golden Bears. UCLA earned its 21st-23rd sweep of the year, which ties for the most in program history, which was established by the NCAA Championship team of 2019.
Up first on the day was the crosstown showdown with No. 3 USC. The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead courtesy of straight-set wins on courts two and four against the Trojans. Peri Brennan and Abby Van Winkle defeated Madison Shields and Madison White on court two, 21-15, 21-9, and Marlie Monserez and Jessie Smith defeated Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Bailey Showalter, 21-18, 21-7.
Each of the last three courts went to a third set with Devon Newberry and Jaden Whitmarsh clinching the dual on court five over USC's Olivia Bakos and Gabby Walker, 21-11, 19-21, 15-12, to eliminate the Trojans. It was the first time in the seven-year history of the Pac-12 Championship that USC, the two-time defending NCAA Champion, didn't make the finals.
The next dual for the Bruins was the revenge match with No. 8 Stanford in the contender's bracket final. The Cardinal sent the Bruins to the contender's bracket with a 3-2 win, their first in 20 tries against UCLA, on day one of the Championship. But this day would belong to the Bruins. UCLA would again jump out to a 2-0 lead with Brennan and Van Winkle defeating Charlie Ekstrom and Maya Harvey 21-19, 21-17, on court two and Monserez and Smith defeating Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent, 21-13, 21-15, on court four.
Again the dual was decided on court five with Newberry and Whitmarsh clinching the victory with a 21-14, 21-14, win over Stanford's Daria Gusarova and Taylor Wilson.
That set up the Championship bout against No. 9 California. With the Bruins reaching the finals for the sixth-straight time, it was clear that the Bruins' experience was no match for the Golden Bears, who were making their first-ever appearance in the Championship finale. UCLA again jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Brennan and Van WInkle defeated Ashley Delgado and Ainsley Radell on court two, 21-12, 21-13, and Monserez and Smith took down Lexi McKeown and Ella Dreibholz, 21-16, 21-18, on court four.
For the third time on the day, Whitmarsh and Newberry delivered the knockout, taking down California's Brooke Buchner and Alex Young-Gomez in straight sets, 21-9, 21-18, on court five to seal the title for UCLA.
NOTES: No. 1 UCLA has made the Pac-12 Championship Final six-straight times (dating back to 2017) ... No. 1 UCLA swept four-straight opponents (3-0, Arizona, USC, Stanford, and California) after losing 3-2 to Stanford on day one ... UCLA has 23 sweeps on the year (five at the Pac-12 Championship), which is tied for first in program history ... Abby Van Winkle became UCLA's career leader in wins (124) against USC (now has 126) ... the Bruins have now won three Pac-12 Championships (2018, 2021, and 2023) ... UCLA became just the second team to come from the contender's bracket to win a title (USC did it in 2017 against the Bruins).
With the automatic bid secured, UCLA now awaits its seeding for the 2023 NCAA Championship, to be played at Gulf Shores Beach in Gulf Shores, Ala., next weekend (May 5-7). The NCAA Selection Show to announce the 17-team field is slated to start at 8:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 30 on a live stream on NCAA.com..
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 3 USC, 3-0
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Friday, Apr. 28, 2023 • 10:45 AM
Records: UCLA (35-3), USC (28-5)
1. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) vs. Megan Kraft/Delaynie Maple (USC) 16-21, 29-27, 8-11 DNF
2. Abby Van Winkle/Peri Brennan (UCLA) def. Madison Shields/Madison White (USC) 21-15, 21-9
3. Haley Hallgren/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) vs. Audrey Nourse/Nicole Nourse (USC) 21-13, 20-22, 14-12 DNF
4. Marlie Monserez/Jessie Smith (UCLA) def. Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope/Bailey Showalter (USC) 21-18, 21-7
5. Devon Newberry/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Olivia Bakos/Gabby Walker (USC) 21-11, 19-21, 15-12
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5*
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 8 Stanford, 3-0
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Friday, Apr. 28, 2023 • 1:00 PM
Records: UCLA (36-3), Stanford (28-12)
1. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) vs. Xolani Hodel/Maddi Kriz (STAN) 21-19, 22-21 DNF
2. Abby Van Winkle/Peri Brennan (UCLA) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Maya Harvey (STAN) 21-19, 21-17
3. Haley Hallgren/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) vs. Kate Reilly/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 16-21, 9-5 DNF
4. Marlie Monserez/Jessie Smith (UCLA) def. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) 21-13, 21-15
5. Devon Newberry/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Daria Gusarova/Taylor Wilson (STAN) 21-14, 21-14
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5*
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 9 California, 3-0
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Friday, Apr. 28, 2023 • 4:00 PM
Records: UCLA (37-3), California (28-9)
1. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) vs. Sierra Caffo/Liz Waters-Leiga (CAL) 21-19, 16-13 DNF
2. Abby Van Winkle/Peri Brennan (UCLA) def. Ashley Delgado/Ainsley Radell (CAL) 21-12, 21-13
3. Haley Hallgren/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) vs. Maya Gessner/Gia Fisher (CAL) 18-21, 11-13 DNF
4. Marlie Monserez/Jessie Smith (UCLA) def. Lexi McKeown/Ella Dreibholz (CAL) 21-16, 21-18
5. Devon Newberry/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Brooke Buchner/Alex Young-Gomez (CAL) 21-9, 21-18
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5*
