Women's Beach Volleyball 4/20/2018 12:00:00 AM

Lions Advance to Day Two at WCC Championships

April 20, 2018

Opening West Coast Conference Championship play on Friday in Santa Monica, second seed and #15 LMU beach volleyball (21-13) went 2-1, picking up victories over Santa Clara and San Francisco, but dropping a match to Saint Mary's.

LMU swept its way past the Broncos to open play, with only one court going to three sets, and LMU taking a forfeit win on court five.

The Lions had defeated Saint Mary', 3-2, twice earlier this year, but the third-seeded Gaels, ranked #19 according to AVCA, flipped the script on Friday. LMU captured victories on courts two and five, but play was ultimately decided on court three. The Gaels captured the first two points by way of wins on courts one and four, but LMU answered with a win from Cierra Simpson / Kristen Castellanos on court five. Sara Kovac and Jessie Prichard followed with a triumph on court two, but Sarah Chase/Mary Hernandez outlasted Veronica Nederend / Emma Doud, 21-17, 21-23, 15-11 to earn the match win.

The Lions rebounded nicely after the loss, earning a 5-0 sweep over San Francisco to advance through the loser's bracket.

LMU will return to action on Saturday looking to stay alive in the pursuit of a WCC Championship. The Lions will play fourth-seed Pacific at 10:30 a.m. The other two teams alive are top seed Pepperdine and three-seed Saint Mary's. The Gaels and Waves will meet at 9 a.m.

Santa Clara vs LMU (Apr 20, 2018)
#15 LMU 5, Santa Clara 0
Apr 20, 2018 at Santa Monica, Calif. (Ocean Park Courts)
Doubles competition
1. McKayla Ferris/Savannah Slattery (LMU) def. Kirsten Mead/Hailey Lindberg (SCU) 21-12, 21-13
2. Sara Kovac/Jessie Prichard (LMU) def. Anna McCreadie/Gretchen Reinert (SCU) 21-8, 21-4
3. Veronica Nederend/Emma Doud (LMU) def. Taylor Odom/Tessie Powers (SCU) 21-15, 21-17
4. Bozena Culo/Maddie Leiphardt (LMU) def. Erin Reineking`/Michelle Gajdka (SCU) 21-19, 22-24, 18-16
5. Cierra Simpson/Kristen Castellanos (LMU) def. No player/No player (SCU), by forfeit

Match Notes
LMU 20-12; National ranking #15
Order of finish: Doubles (5,2,1,3,4);
LMU Ranked #15 in AVCA Poll and #17 in DiG Poll
LMU is #2 Seed in Tournament; Santa Clara #7

LMU vs Saint Mary's (Apr 20, 2018)
#19 Saint Mary's 3, #15 LMU 2
Apr 20, 2018 at Santa Monica, Calif. (Ocean Park Courts)
Doubles competition
1. Payton Rund/Morgan Hughes (SMC) def. McKayla Ferris/Savannah Slattery (LMU) 21-17, 21-13
2. Sara Kovac/Jessie Prichard (LMU) def. Lindsey Knudsen/Emily Bible (SMC) 21-17, 21-13
3. Sarah Chase/Mary Hernandez (SMC) def. Veronica Nederend/Emma Doud (LMU) 21-17, 21-23, 15-11
4. Lindsey Calvin/Kelsey Knudsen (SMC) def. Bozena Culo/Maddie Leiphardt (LMU) 21-10, 21-17
5. Cierra Simpson/Kristen Castellanos (LMU) def. Madi Wilkerson/Sienna Young (SMC) 21-15, 21-21

Match Notes
LMU 20-13; National ranking #15
Order of finish: Doubles (1,4,5,2,3);
LMU Ranked #15 in AVCA Poll and #17 in DiG Poll
LMU #2 Seed in Tournament; SMC #3
LMU Ranked #19 in DiG Poll; #20 in AVCA Poll

San Francisco vs LMU (Apr 20, 2018)
#15 LMU 5, San Francisco 0
Apr 20, 2018 at Santa Monica, Calif.l (Ocean Park Courts)
Doubles competition
1. McKayla Ferris/Savannah Slattery (LMU) def. Julia Topor/Anna Dalla Vecchia (USF) 21-12, 21-18
2. Sara Kovac/Jessie Prichard (LMU) def. Haley Howell/Carly Lowry (USF) 21-13, 21-18
3. Chloe Reinig/Emma Doud (LMU) def. Camille Araujo/Erica Ronda (USF) 21-19, 23-21
4. Bozena Culo/Maddie Leiphardt (LMU) def. Sabrina Blackwell/Nora Buvarp Lavik (USF) 21-6, 21-11
5. Cierra Simpson/Kristen Castellanos (LMU) def. Shannon Levinson/Pi'Ikea Clemens (USF) 21-18, 21-7