UCLA was the final staff standing after three chaotic days in Honolulu because the NCAA seashore volleyball season opened with a bang. Additionally, Arizona State bedeviled the competitors in Tampa and TCU dispatched two ranked foes in Houston. We conclude this report with a stay up for the second week of the younger season:
Battered-but-unbowed Bruins
Wounded a number of instances throughout the first two days of round-robin battles on Queen’s Seaside, UCLA rallied on Saturday to win the conflict.
The Bruins, ranked No. 2 within the AVCA preseason beach-volleyball ballot, blitzed No. 1 USC 4-1 within the title twin of the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Seaside Traditional in Honolulu, culminating an epic march via the championship bracket.
UCLA had staggered out of round-robin play with a 1-3 file, crushed 4-1 by the archrival Ladies of Troy, 3-2 by No. 7 Stanford and 3-2 by No. 5 Loyola Marymount, with solely a 5-0 victory over No. 9 Hawaii as a Band-Assist on the blood-letting.
However longtime assistant and now head coach Jenny Johnson Jordan, in her first event in command, impressed her troops in a final-day counterattack.
First to fall, by a 5-0 depend within the quarterfinal, had been the host Rainbow Wahine, who misplaced all 5 of their duals on dwelling sand. Stanford put up stiff opposition within the semifinals earlier than succumbing 3-2, with Jaden Whitmarsh and Tessa Van Winkle beating Chloe Hoffman and Kate Reilly 21-18, 21-17 on Courtroom 3 to clinch the victory for the Bruins.
Pivotal within the forty second assembly all-time between UCLA and USC, essentially the most adorned applications in NCAA seashore volleyball, was a 21-15, 21-17 victory on the marquee No. 1 courtroom by Bruins Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaburg over Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple. Boyd and Denaburg had gone 3-3 of their matches on storied Queen’s Seaside coming into the ultimate, together with a straight-sets setback to Kraft and Maple, who got here into the ultimate undefeated with out shedding a set.
The Bruins’ 5s pair of junior Natalie Myszkowski and sophomore Ensley Alden, who went 6-1 on the weekend, sealed the victory by topping Olivia Bakos and Ainsley Radell 21-19, 24-22. UCLA took a 24-18 benefit within the all-time collection with USC, which superior to the championship twin with a 4-1 victory within the semifinals over Loyola Marymount.
The staff that probably raised its inventory essentially the most throughout the three-day opening-week firefight was Stanford. The Cardinal gained important skirmishes by going unbeaten throughout round-robin competitors – upsetting three squads ranked greater – with a beginning 10 that featured 4 freshmen and two sophomores.
Stanford’s fab 4 of recent faces embrace Arkansas native Brooke Rockwell (within the high pair with three-time AVCA All-American Xolani Hodel), Canadian Ruby Sorra, Californian Chloe Hoffman and 6-foot-2 Californian Clara Stowell. The entire first-year gamers include resumes that embrace coaching within the growth program of their nationwide groups.
“The staff has executed an amazing job instilling perception in themselves and one another,” Cardinal Coach Andrew Fuller advised us Saturday evening. “We’re fired up and simply wish to preserve bettering.”
After such eye-opening performances by the kids of their first baptism of fireplace, Stanford figures to leap a number of rungs within the rankings, notably when the groups on the high took critical scars.
“The competitors was so robust right here that you simply see the place the bar is about when it comes to stage of play for the entire season,” Fuller stated. “So far as the polls are involved, it doesn’t actually change our inside staff narrative. It’s early. It provides folks one thing to speak about, however once we get nearer to Could, they tackle somewhat extra which means.”
A rock-’em-sock-’em tourney offered lots for the pundits to ponder. UCLA (4-3) confirmed its mettle when the stakes had been highest. Three-time defending nationwide champion USC (4-2) beat each staff besides Stanford, which went 4-1. Loyola Marymount (2-3) took a minimum of one match in every of its losses. And the way a lot of successful ought to Hawaii soak up when all of its defeats got here to higher-ranked groups?
Upsets abound in Florida
Arizona State, ranked 18th, validated the optimism spurred by the addition of Coach Kristen Rohr, going 4-0 within the Tampa Invitational. The Solar Devils look to be a staff on the rise after bouncing three opponents that sat greater within the preseason ballot — No. 11 Florida Atlantic 3-2, No. 12 Georgia State 3-2, No. 18 South Carolina 4-1 — and Division II Tampa 4-1.
Sophomores Kendall Whitmarsh and Adriana Nieves Papaleo went undefeated on Courtroom 5 with three of the victories needing the tiebreaker and the second set of a sweep towards FAU’s Kendall Mignerey and Alivia Orvieto going to 25-23. Whitmarsh’s dad is the late Mike Whitmarsh, an all-time AVP nice who was the silver medalist on the sand within the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and Kendall is the youthful sister of UCLA’s Jaden.
Sophomore Arden Besecker (a portal acquisition from Florida State) and freshman Ava Williamson went 3-1 on Courtroom 2 for the Solar Devils, who bought the clinching level that stored them excellent on the weekend throughout the victory over FAU when high pair Daniela Kensinger (sophomore switch from Saint Mary’s) and Anya Pemberton gained the tiebreaker 17-15 over veterans Courtney Moon and Marketa Svozilova.
The opposite main newsmaker from the Cigar Metropolis was Coach Jeff Lamm’s host Spartans, who proved something however “joyful to be right here” cannon fodder.
A 3-time winner of the AVCA Small Faculty Championship (2019, ‘21 and ‘23), Tampa knocked off South Carolina 4-1 and Florida Atlantic 3-2, and dropped a 3-2 choice to Georgia State.
Sophomore Angel Williams (from Costa Rica) and freshman Teona Treskounov (a Canadian), enjoying on Courtroom 3, notched the deciding level towards FAU by claiming the tiebreaker 15-8 over Kate McLaughlin and Julie Honzovicova after battling again to win the second set 24-22.
The Spartans’ Wolfe twins, sophomores Hailey and Nevaeh, went 3-1 on the weekend bouncing between the second and third courts, and Keely Hamilton-Madison Brunick gained three out of 4 on Courts 4 and 5.
Lamm’s crew has three extra prime-time weekends – the Seminole Seaside Bash in Tallahassee, its second Tampa Invitational and the Sugar Seaside Bash in Louisiana – earlier than settling into D-II competitors towards fellow members of the Sunshine State Convention.
The Spartans’ opening-week outcomes ought to not be ignored by AVCA ballot voters.
“I’ve thought for the previous few years now we have had the expertise to interrupt into the highest 20 however lacked the arrogance, the assumption we belonged there,” Lamm advised VBM. “The extent of competitors was superb this weekend with 5 fairly evenly matched groups battling it out. Hopefully, the (gamers) now imagine they will compete with anybody and we preserve shifting in the appropriate path.
“Ought to we obtain consideration for the AVCA ballot? I suppose if voters really feel FAU, ASU, GSU and South Carolina are top-20-caliber groups, then you would need to add Tampa to the combo.”
Georgia State and Florida Atlantic broke even in 4 duals. South Carolina must dig out of a gap after taking the collar whereas going 4-16 in matches.
Across the nation
In essentially the most important single twin exterior of Hawaii, No. 4 TCU eked out a 3-2 victory over No. 6 LSU throughout the Third Coast Problem in Houston. The Horned Frogs (4-0) earned factors from their 4s and 5s pair and the crack high duo of Hailey Hamlett and Anhelina Khmil recorded the clincher with a sweep of Gabi Bailey and Amber Haynes. Hamlett-Khmil powered via their 4 matches with out dropping a set. TCU additionally took out No. 15 Washington 4-1. The Huskies (2-2) dropped a 4-1 choice to LSU (3-1). Host Houston Christian went 1-3 and Central Arkansas was 0-4.
No. 3 Florida State ran the desk towards host Jacksonville, Coastal Carolina and North Florida throughout the first day of the Dolphin Duals. No. 13 Florida Worldwide topped Coastal Carolina (2-2) and North Florida (2-2) on Saturday, each by 3-2 counts, then gained duals on Sunday over Tennessee-Chattanooga, Palm Seaside Atlantic and Jacksonville.
The No. 16 Hatters cruised via their Stetson Spring Fling with 4 victories, going 19-1 in matches. Florida Gulf Coast left the DeLand, Florida, occasion with a 3-1 file.
Cal Poly, ranked twentieth, lassoed its 4 duals within the Cowgirl Seaside Bash in Louisiana by a 19-1 mathes margin. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (3-1) earned a match “W” on Courtroom 3 towards the Mustangs. Additionally noteworthy had been milestone first victories by debut applications McNeese State and Tarleton State. The host Cowgirls took a 4-1 victory over Tarleton State, which defeated Nicholls State 4-1.
No. 8 California posted home-sand sweeps towards American River, San Jose State, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara over two days.
In a twin between ranked groups, No. 10 Lengthy Seaside State swamped No. 19 Pepperdine in Malibu, dropping one set. The Seaside and the Waves each topped Vanguard 5-0 within the three-team meet.
Host Grand Canyon (4-0), ranked 14th, had simple pickings towards Ottawa, Arizona Christian and Alabama-Birmingham, however Boise State proved extra troublesome. The Broncos pushed the Lopes to a 3-2 rating, successful on Courts 3 and 5. Over three days of desert competitors in Tucson and Phoenix, Boise State went 4-2, additionally shedding 3-2 to Arizona, which gained all 4 of its Cactus Traditional duals.
Tulane broke quick out of the gate, topping 5 opponents in its Inexperienced Wave Invitational.
Host Missouri State began 5-0 with its victories towards Tennessee-Martin (2-2) and Louisiana-Monroe (3-1) coming by 3-2 scores.
Arising
After a slam-bang opening slate, the schedule in Week 2 cools down, with far fewer marquee duals involving extremely ranked groups.
Eight squads that had been voted into the AVCA preseason high 20 will collect for the Battle of Los Angeles at three places on Friday and Saturday, however host faculties USC, UCLA and Loyola Marymount won’t play one another. Additionally competing at USC’s Merle Norman Stadium, UCLA’s Mapes Seaside and the courts on LMU’s campus are Lengthy Seaside State, California, Grand Canyon, Cal Poly, Washington and unranked Concordia-Irvine.
Florida State will see motion towards ranked groups in Georgia State and Stetson in its Seminole Seaside Bash in Tallahassee. Tampa and Louisiana-Monroe additionally will come calling on Friday and Saturday.
The twin that would carry essentially the most ballot implications will happen on the Battle of the Bay in Palo Alto, California, when host Stanford meets TCU. Rounding out the occasion on Friday and Saturday are UC Davis, Oregon and San Jose State.
Tulane, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston Christian, Nebraska and Northern Arizona will be part of host Louisiana State within the Tiger Seaside Problem in Baton Rouge on Saturday and Sunday.
The UAB Problem in Birmingham on Saturday and Sunday options Florida Atlantic, host Alabama-Birmingham, UT-Martin, Texas-El Paso and Jap Kentucky.
Pepperdine’s Malibu Invite in California on Friday and Saturday may have Arizona, Boise State, Vanguard and San Francisco within the subject.
Host South Carolina will look to bounce again throughout its Wheeler Seaside Bash. Coming to Columbia on Saturday and Sunday are Coastal Carolina, Faculty of Charleston North Carolina-Wilmington and Chattanooga.
In Miami on Friday and Saturday, Florida Worldwide will play host to Emmanuel, Barry and Palm Seaside Atlantic.
North Florida will welcome Florida Gulf Coast, Mercer and crosstown rival Jacksonville, to its DUUUVAL Duals on Friday and Saturday.