Saturday, April 13
San Luis Obispo, CA
10:15 AM
UCLA
3
at
2
Cal Poly
Junior Jessie Smith (11) and redshirt freshman Kenzie Brower (15) rallied from an 11-9 deficit in the third to clinch the dual victory for UCLA.
Photo by: Han Duong (herewegobru.com)
No. 1 UCLA Rallies to Advance to Center of Effort Title Match
April 13, 2024 | Beach Volleyball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.ย -- No. 1 UCLA (27-4) advanced to the title match of the Center of Effort Challenge with aย 3-2 victory at No. 16 Cal Poly (22-5) on Saturday morning at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex. It marked the 18th-consecutive win for the Bruins, who improved their all-time record to 14-0 against the Mustangs.
Junior Natalie Myszkowski and redshirt freshman Ensley Alden scored the first point of the dual on court five with a straight-set win over Cal Poly's Madison Nichols and Abbey Reinard, 21-18, 21-10.
The Mustangs tied the dual at 1-1 when Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep defeated graduate student Devon Newberry and senior Peri Brennan, 21-16, 22-20 for a court two win.
Cal Poly would take a 2-1 lead moments later as Piper Naess and Logan Walter defeated senior Tessa Van Winkle and graduate student Jaden Whitmarsh on court four, 21-19, 21-17.
But the Bruins began their rally with graduate student Lexy Denaburg and sophomore Maggie Boyd on court one with a three-set thriller over Ella Connor and Izzy Martinez, 25-23, 22-24, 15-10 to tie the dual at 2-2.
It all came down to court three, where another three-set thriller was brewing. redshirt freshman Kenzie Brower and junior Jessie Smith rallied from an 11-9 deficit in the third set to defeat former Bruin Lindsey Sparks and Quinn Perry, 23-21, 16-21, 15-13 to clinch the dual for the Bruins.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 2 USC (27-3) inย the championship dual of the Center of Effort Challenge tonight at 5:45 p.m. PT.
NOTES: The championship dual with the Trojans marks the fourth time this season (and 24th time overall) that the Bruins have been in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchupย (1-2 so far).ย The Bruins have been involved inย No. 1ย vs. No. 2 matchups 23 times in program history with a 9-14 record (.391) in those meetings. Interestingly, UCLA is just 2-9 (.182) as the top-ranked team in those matchupsย but 7-5 (.583) as the underdog. Additionally, UCLA has gone 113-15 (.883) as the nation's top team, but is just 7-7 (.500) against USC when the Bruins are the No. 1 team.
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 6 Cal Poly, 3-2
Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex โข San Luis Obispo
Saturday, April 13, 2024 โข 10:15 AM
Records: UCLA (27-4), CP (22-5)
1. Lexy Denaburg/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Ella Connor/Izzy Martinez (CP) 25-23, 22-24, 15-10
2. Piper Ferch/Erin Inskeep (CP) def. Devon Newberry/Peri Brennan (UCLA) 21-16, 22-20
3. Jessie Smith/Kenzie Brower (UCLA) def. Lindsey Sparks/Quinn Perry (CP) 23-21, 16-21, 15-13
4. Piper Naess/Logan Walter (CP) def. Tessa Van Winkle/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) 21-19, 21-17
5. Natalie Myszkowski/Ensley Alden (UCLA) def. Madison Nichols/Abbey Reinard (CP) 21-18, 21-10
Order of finish: 5, 2, 4, 1, 3*
ย
Junior Natalie Myszkowski and redshirt freshman Ensley Alden scored the first point of the dual on court five with a straight-set win over Cal Poly's Madison Nichols and Abbey Reinard, 21-18, 21-10.
The Mustangs tied the dual at 1-1 when Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep defeated graduate student Devon Newberry and senior Peri Brennan, 21-16, 22-20 for a court two win.
Cal Poly would take a 2-1 lead moments later as Piper Naess and Logan Walter defeated senior Tessa Van Winkle and graduate student Jaden Whitmarsh on court four, 21-19, 21-17.
But the Bruins began their rally with graduate student Lexy Denaburg and sophomore Maggie Boyd on court one with a three-set thriller over Ella Connor and Izzy Martinez, 25-23, 22-24, 15-10 to tie the dual at 2-2.
It all came down to court three, where another three-set thriller was brewing. redshirt freshman Kenzie Brower and junior Jessie Smith rallied from an 11-9 deficit in the third set to defeat former Bruin Lindsey Sparks and Quinn Perry, 23-21, 16-21, 15-13 to clinch the dual for the Bruins.
UP NEXT: The Bruins will face No. 2 USC (27-3) inย the championship dual of the Center of Effort Challenge tonight at 5:45 p.m. PT.
NOTES: The championship dual with the Trojans marks the fourth time this season (and 24th time overall) that the Bruins have been in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchupย (1-2 so far).ย The Bruins have been involved inย No. 1ย vs. No. 2 matchups 23 times in program history with a 9-14 record (.391) in those meetings. Interestingly, UCLA is just 2-9 (.182) as the top-ranked team in those matchupsย but 7-5 (.583) as the underdog. Additionally, UCLA has gone 113-15 (.883) as the nation's top team, but is just 7-7 (.500) against USC when the Bruins are the No. 1 team.
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 6 Cal Poly, 3-2
Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex โข San Luis Obispo
Saturday, April 13, 2024 โข 10:15 AM
Records: UCLA (27-4), CP (22-5)
1. Lexy Denaburg/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Ella Connor/Izzy Martinez (CP) 25-23, 22-24, 15-10
2. Piper Ferch/Erin Inskeep (CP) def. Devon Newberry/Peri Brennan (UCLA) 21-16, 22-20
3. Jessie Smith/Kenzie Brower (UCLA) def. Lindsey Sparks/Quinn Perry (CP) 23-21, 16-21, 15-13
4. Piper Naess/Logan Walter (CP) def. Tessa Van Winkle/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) 21-19, 21-17
5. Natalie Myszkowski/Ensley Alden (UCLA) def. Madison Nichols/Abbey Reinard (CP) 21-18, 21-10
Order of finish: 5, 2, 4, 1, 3*
ย
Players Mentioned
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