05/03/26 01:36:00
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05/03 13:31 CDT UCLA women sweep Stanford to win third beach volleyball
championship
UCLA women sweep Stanford to win third beach volleyball championship
GULF SHORES, Ala. (AP) --- Sally Perez and Maggie Boyd won the clincher as UCLA
swept top-seeded Stanford 3-0 on Sunday to win the Bruins' third NCAA beach
volleyball championship.
Perez and Boyd wrapped up the Bruins' first championship since winning
back-to-back titles in 2018-19, beating the Cardinal's Kelly Belardi and Avery
Jackson 21-11, 21-19.
Kaley Mathews and Ensley Alden got third-seeded UCLA (33-6) off and running
with a 21-16, 21-11 victory over Brooke Rockwell and Ruby Sorra.
Ava Williamson and Jesse Dueck gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead in the closest match
of the day, beating Indigo Clarke and Clara Stowell 21-17, 25-23.
The UCLA tandems of Alexa Fernandez and Harper Cooper as well as Kenzie Brower
and Mallory LaBreche were also winning their matches when they became
unnecessary.
It was the first championship for UCLA coach Jenny Johnson Jordan, who took the
reins in 2023. Stein Metzger led the Bruins to their first two titles.
Stanford (39-4) was aiming for its first championship, advancing to the title
match under coach Andrew Fulller with a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Florida State in
the semifinals.
UCLA beat No. 2 Texas 3-2 in the other semifinal.
Southern California has won six of 10 championships since the event began in
2016.
TCU ended a four-year run by the Trojans last season when the Horned Frogs beat
Loyola Marymount for the title. The tournament wasn't played in 2019 due to
COVID-19.
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