Saturday, April 22
Manoa, Hawaii
12:15 p.m.
Long Beach State University
3
at
2
Hawai'i
Photo by: Mikaella Salazar
Beach Volleyball Wins First Big West Championship in Program History
4/22/2023 6:30:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
The Beach had an undefeated bracket run on their way to the title.
HONOLULU, Hawai'i – Long Beach State completed an undefeated bracket run to win the Big West Championship in Hawai'i on Saturday afternoon. It is the first conference title in program history.
The Beach's first dual of the day was the winner's bracket semi-final against top-seeded Hawai'i to begin day two of the Big West Championships. The Beach jumped out to a very quick two-point lead as Christine Deroos/Maggie Walters and Emily Mattoon/Mari Molina won the fourth and fifth flights, respectively.
After Hawai'i responded with a third flight win for their first point, the first-year pair of Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah came back from a first set loss to force a third set and win it 16-14 to secure the dual and send Long Beach State to the finals with a 3-2 victory.
Fifth-seeded Cal Poly pulled off an upset of their own to reach the finals, but the Beach crushed their momentum and made quick work of the Mustangs. Once again, Mattoon/Molina won five's for the first point followed by Sydney Stevens and Julia Westby in two's. Gementera/Hagenah wrapped it up in one's with 33rd win of the season followed by Deroos/Walters in four's to lock up the 4-1 victory.
With the conference title in hand, Long Beach State has secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. in two weeks.
#11 Long Beach State 3, #8 Hawai'i 2
1. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Kaylee Glagau/Brooke Van Sickle (UH) 17-21, 21-19, 16-14
2. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) 21-11, 21-18
3. Ilihia Huddleston/Jaime Santer (UH) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 17-21, 21-13, 22-20
4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Sarah Burton/Lea Kruse (UH) 21-14, 21-14
5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) 21-15, 21-11
Order of finish: 4,5,2,1,3
#11 Long Beach State 4, Cal Poly 1
1. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Piper Naess/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-19, 21-14
2. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) def. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) 21-15, 21-11
3. Brooke Golik/Delaney Peranich (CP) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 14-21, 23-21, 15-9
4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) 21-14, 21-16
5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-14, 21-12
Order of finish: 5,2,1,4,3
The Beach's first dual of the day was the winner's bracket semi-final against top-seeded Hawai'i to begin day two of the Big West Championships. The Beach jumped out to a very quick two-point lead as Christine Deroos/Maggie Walters and Emily Mattoon/Mari Molina won the fourth and fifth flights, respectively.
After Hawai'i responded with a third flight win for their first point, the first-year pair of Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah came back from a first set loss to force a third set and win it 16-14 to secure the dual and send Long Beach State to the finals with a 3-2 victory.
Fifth-seeded Cal Poly pulled off an upset of their own to reach the finals, but the Beach crushed their momentum and made quick work of the Mustangs. Once again, Mattoon/Molina won five's for the first point followed by Sydney Stevens and Julia Westby in two's. Gementera/Hagenah wrapped it up in one's with 33rd win of the season followed by Deroos/Walters in four's to lock up the 4-1 victory.
With the conference title in hand, Long Beach State has secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. in two weeks.
?? BIG WEST CHAMPS ?? pic.twitter.com/K11sTxGf8t
— LB Beach Volleyball (@LBSUBeachVB) April 23, 2023
#11 Long Beach State 3, #8 Hawai'i 2
1. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Kaylee Glagau/Brooke Van Sickle (UH) 17-21, 21-19, 16-14
2. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) def. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) 21-11, 21-18
3. Ilihia Huddleston/Jaime Santer (UH) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 17-21, 21-13, 22-20
4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Sarah Burton/Lea Kruse (UH) 21-14, 21-14
5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Chandler Cowell/Sydney Miller (UH) 21-15, 21-11
Order of finish: 4,5,2,1,3
#11 Long Beach State 4, Cal Poly 1
1. Malia Gementera/Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Piper Naess/Jayelin Lombard (CP) 21-19, 21-14
2. Sydney Stevens/Julia Westby (LBSU) def. Piper Ferch/Izzy Martinez (CP) 21-15, 21-11
3. Brooke Golik/Delaney Peranich (CP) def. Megan Widener/Natalie Glenn (LBSU) 14-21, 23-21, 15-9
4. Maggie Walters/Christine Deroos (LBSU) def. Emma Zuffelato/Kalee Graff (CP) 21-14, 21-16
5. Mari Molina/Emily Mattoon (LBSU) def. Susie Lloyd/Margo Smith (CP) 21-14, 21-12
Order of finish: 5,2,1,4,3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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