University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Saturday, May 2
Gulf Shores, Ala.
10:00 AM PT
UCLA
3
vs
1
Cal Poly
The Bruins celebrate after Kenzie Brower and Mallory LaBreche's deciding victory
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
UCLA Beach Volleyball Advances to National Championship
May 02, 2026 | Beach Volleyball
Gulf Shores, Ala. - No. 3 seed UCLA is headed to the National Championship after defeating No. 6 seed Cal Poly in the quarterfinals and No. 2 seed Texas in the semifinals on Saturday. The Bruins (33-6) will face top-seeded Stanford in the final on Sunday, May 3 at 11:30am CT/9:30am PT. The Cardinal beat Florida State 3-1 in the first semifinal.ย
This will be UCLA's sixth National Championship final and Stanford's first. The Bruins have won two championships, winning in 2018 and 2019 and made their last championship appearance in 2024.ย
UCLA's win over Texas snapped a three-game losing streak to the Longhorns, who beat the Bruins 3-2 in the MPSF Championship. The Bruins reversed their fortune in the semifinals, winning 3-2, with Kenzie Brower and Mallory LaBreche clinching the match on court 5 with a 21-15, 28-26 win over Karin Zolnercikova and Macey Butler.
The Bruins took the first set on the back three courts against Texas, and all three went on to win in straight sets. Ava Williamson and Jesse Dueck claimed the first point of the match on court 4 with a 21-17, 21-19 victory. Alexa Fernandez and Harper Cooper beat Lily Davis and Emma Grace Robertson on court 3, 21-12, 21-14 to give UCLA a 2-0 lead. The Bruin pair hit .625 in the match, with Cooper posting an attack percentage of .818 with five blocks. Texas took court 1 21-19, 21-19 and then tied it at 2-2 after court 2 won 21-15, 17-21, 15-9. The match came down to court 5, where the Longhorns saved seven match points to stay alive, but LaBreche finished it off with a poke shot at the net to clinch the championship berth. ย
In the quarterfinal match against Cal Poly, the Bruins won the first set on courts 1, 3 and 5. Those courts went on to win the three points for UCLA. Sally Perez and Maggie Boyd won the first point of the match, beating Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep, 21-18, 21-19. Cal Poly evened it up with a straight-set win on court 2 by Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter. Brower and LaBreche won on court 5 for the second consecutive match, defeating Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger, 22-20, 23-21 to put UCLA ahead 2-1. The Bruins closed out the match on court 3 on a cross-court tapper by Fernandez, as she and Cooper earned the 21-19, 21-9 victory over Quinn Perry and Ashleigh Adams.ย
No. 3 seed UCLA No. 2 Texas ย
Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 2, 2026 โข 2:30 pm CT
Records: UCLA (33-6), Texas (28-7)
1. Brecht Piersma / Katie Hashman (Texas) def. Sally Perez / Maggie Boyd (UCLA) 21-19, 21-9
2. Anna Pavelkova / Kacka Pavelkova (Texas)def. Kaley Mathews / Ensley Alden (UCLA) 21-15, 17-21, 15-9
3. Alexa Fernandez / Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Emma Grace Robertson / Lily Davis (Texas) 21-12, 21-14
4. Ava Williamson / Jesse Dueck (UCLA) def. Chloe Charles / Eva Liisa Kuivonen (Texas) 21-17, 21-19
5. Kenzie Brower / Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Macey Butler / Karin Zolnercikova (Texas) 21-15, 28-26
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 2, 5*
No. 3 seed UCLA def. No. 6 Cal Poly 3-1
Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 2, 2026 โข 12:00 pm CT
Records: UCLA (32-6), Cal Poly (31-9)
1. Sally Perez / Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Ella Connor / Erin Inskeep (CP) 21-18, 21-19
2. Izzy Martinez / Logan Walter (CP) def. Kaley Mathews / Ensley Alden (UCLA) 21-12, 21-17
3. Alexa Fernandez / Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Quinn Perry / Ashleigh Adams (CP) 21-19, 21-19
4. Ava Williamson / Jesse Dueck (UCLA) vs. Julia Westby / Elise Lenahan (CP) 17-21, 21-18 (unf.)
5. Kenzie Brower / Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Peyton Dueck / Katie Clevenger (CP) 22-20, 23-21
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5, 3*
ย
This will be UCLA's sixth National Championship final and Stanford's first. The Bruins have won two championships, winning in 2018 and 2019 and made their last championship appearance in 2024.ย
UCLA's win over Texas snapped a three-game losing streak to the Longhorns, who beat the Bruins 3-2 in the MPSF Championship. The Bruins reversed their fortune in the semifinals, winning 3-2, with Kenzie Brower and Mallory LaBreche clinching the match on court 5 with a 21-15, 28-26 win over Karin Zolnercikova and Macey Butler.
The Bruins took the first set on the back three courts against Texas, and all three went on to win in straight sets. Ava Williamson and Jesse Dueck claimed the first point of the match on court 4 with a 21-17, 21-19 victory. Alexa Fernandez and Harper Cooper beat Lily Davis and Emma Grace Robertson on court 3, 21-12, 21-14 to give UCLA a 2-0 lead. The Bruin pair hit .625 in the match, with Cooper posting an attack percentage of .818 with five blocks. Texas took court 1 21-19, 21-19 and then tied it at 2-2 after court 2 won 21-15, 17-21, 15-9. The match came down to court 5, where the Longhorns saved seven match points to stay alive, but LaBreche finished it off with a poke shot at the net to clinch the championship berth. ย
THIS MOMENT ON REPEAT ????#NCAABeachVB x @uclabeachvb pic.twitter.com/VnQdKHqk2q
โ NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) May 2, 2026
In the quarterfinal match against Cal Poly, the Bruins won the first set on courts 1, 3 and 5. Those courts went on to win the three points for UCLA. Sally Perez and Maggie Boyd won the first point of the match, beating Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep, 21-18, 21-19. Cal Poly evened it up with a straight-set win on court 2 by Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter. Brower and LaBreche won on court 5 for the second consecutive match, defeating Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger, 22-20, 23-21 to put UCLA ahead 2-1. The Bruins closed out the match on court 3 on a cross-court tapper by Fernandez, as she and Cooper earned the 21-19, 21-9 victory over Quinn Perry and Ashleigh Adams.ย
BRUINS WIN!
โ UCLA Beach VB (@uclabeachvb) May 2, 2026
Harper Cooper and Alexa Fernandez close it out on Court 3 to send the Bruins to the semifinals!
??: ESPN2#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/FQZQxYCwDb
No. 3 seed UCLA No. 2 Texas ย
Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 2, 2026 โข 2:30 pm CT
Records: UCLA (33-6), Texas (28-7)
1. Brecht Piersma / Katie Hashman (Texas) def. Sally Perez / Maggie Boyd (UCLA) 21-19, 21-9
2. Anna Pavelkova / Kacka Pavelkova (Texas)def. Kaley Mathews / Ensley Alden (UCLA) 21-15, 17-21, 15-9
3. Alexa Fernandez / Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Emma Grace Robertson / Lily Davis (Texas) 21-12, 21-14
4. Ava Williamson / Jesse Dueck (UCLA) def. Chloe Charles / Eva Liisa Kuivonen (Texas) 21-17, 21-19
5. Kenzie Brower / Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Macey Butler / Karin Zolnercikova (Texas) 21-15, 28-26
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 2, 5*
No. 3 seed UCLA def. No. 6 Cal Poly 3-1
Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 2, 2026 โข 12:00 pm CT
Records: UCLA (32-6), Cal Poly (31-9)
1. Sally Perez / Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Ella Connor / Erin Inskeep (CP) 21-18, 21-19
2. Izzy Martinez / Logan Walter (CP) def. Kaley Mathews / Ensley Alden (UCLA) 21-12, 21-17
3. Alexa Fernandez / Harper Cooper (UCLA) def. Quinn Perry / Ashleigh Adams (CP) 21-19, 21-19
4. Ava Williamson / Jesse Dueck (UCLA) vs. Julia Westby / Elise Lenahan (CP) 17-21, 21-18 (unf.)
5. Kenzie Brower / Mallory LaBreche (UCLA) def. Peyton Dueck / Katie Clevenger (CP) 22-20, 23-21
Order of finish: 1, 2, 5, 3*
ย
Players Mentioned
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
/ Beach Volleyball
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