Long Beach State University Athletics
Saturday, February 21
Malibu, Calif.
Noon
Long Beach State University
3
vs
2
Washington
Photo by: Josue Vasquez, @JosueAvasqz
No. 10 Beach Volleyball Opens The Season With Two Wins
2/21/2026 6:58:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
Long Beach State grabeed two wins over No. 19 Washington and Pepperdine.
MALIBU, Calif. – No. 10 Long Beach State showed their class on the road to begin the season, grinding out a win over No. 19 Washington before a 5-0 sweep of Pepperdine in Malibu on Saturday.
Long Beach State (2-0) began the day with a Top 25 matchup against No. 19 Washington (3-1). Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah started their senior season strong, rolling to a straight sets win, 21-14, 21-14, while Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy debuted in the second flight similarly with a 21-14, 21-16 win. The Beach dropped a match to the Huskies at the fours, and set up two very tight matches to decide the dual. Alina Urzua and Avery Towne won in the fifth flight, 14-21, 21-16, 19-17, over Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser. Long Beach State sealed the win at the threes, where Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage lost their first set, but rallied in a battle to win over Zoe Pabarcus and Mayamay Brown, 19-21, 26-24, 15-10.
Facing the hosts, Long Beach State rolled to a 5-0 win over Pepperdine (1-3). The closest match actually came in the top flight, where, after a first set win, Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani took the second from Hagenah and Gementera. The veteran pair closed out the match with a 21-18, 18-21, 16-14 win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Long Beach State's other pairs rolled to straight set wins over the Waves to close out the 5-0 win and send the Beach home undefeated on the first day of competition in 2026.
Long Beach State remains on the road next week, playing two matches each at LMU and UCLA on Friday, February 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28.
No. 10 Long Beach State 3, No. 19 Washington 2
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Katarina Pantovic and Niki Egan (WASH), 21-14, 21-14
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Emma Hohenauer and Teila Allen (WASH), 21-14, 21-16
3) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Zoe Pabarcus and Mayamay Brown (WASH)
19-21, 26-24, 15-10
4) Ella Tyus and Sarah Wilcock (WASH) def. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU), 21-18, 21-18
5) Alina Urzua and Avery Towne (WASH) def. Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU), 14-21, 21-16, 19-17
No. 10 Long Beach State 5, Pepperdine 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani (PEPP), 21-18, 18-21, 16-14
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Maddy Snow and Gabriella Perez (PEPP), 21-12, 21-14
3) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Alice Jagielska and Sonia Mancuso (PEPP), 24-22, 21-17
4) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Emma Bubelis and Deanie Woodruff (PEPP), 21-14, 21-18
5) Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Ginevra Merlini and Emi Erickson (PEPP), 21-16, 21-19
Long Beach State (2-0) began the day with a Top 25 matchup against No. 19 Washington (3-1). Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah started their senior season strong, rolling to a straight sets win, 21-14, 21-14, while Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy debuted in the second flight similarly with a 21-14, 21-16 win. The Beach dropped a match to the Huskies at the fours, and set up two very tight matches to decide the dual. Alina Urzua and Avery Towne won in the fifth flight, 14-21, 21-16, 19-17, over Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser. Long Beach State sealed the win at the threes, where Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage lost their first set, but rallied in a battle to win over Zoe Pabarcus and Mayamay Brown, 19-21, 26-24, 15-10.
Facing the hosts, Long Beach State rolled to a 5-0 win over Pepperdine (1-3). The closest match actually came in the top flight, where, after a first set win, Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani took the second from Hagenah and Gementera. The veteran pair closed out the match with a 21-18, 18-21, 16-14 win to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Long Beach State's other pairs rolled to straight set wins over the Waves to close out the 5-0 win and send the Beach home undefeated on the first day of competition in 2026.
Long Beach State remains on the road next week, playing two matches each at LMU and UCLA on Friday, February 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28.
No. 10 Long Beach State 3, No. 19 Washington 2
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Katarina Pantovic and Niki Egan (WASH), 21-14, 21-14
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Emma Hohenauer and Teila Allen (WASH), 21-14, 21-16
3) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Zoe Pabarcus and Mayamay Brown (WASH)
19-21, 26-24, 15-10
4) Ella Tyus and Sarah Wilcock (WASH) def. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU), 21-18, 21-18
5) Alina Urzua and Avery Towne (WASH) def. Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU), 14-21, 21-16, 19-17
No. 10 Long Beach State 5, Pepperdine 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani (PEPP), 21-18, 18-21, 16-14
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Maddy Snow and Gabriella Perez (PEPP), 21-12, 21-14
3) Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Alice Jagielska and Sonia Mancuso (PEPP), 24-22, 21-17
4) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Emma Bubelis and Deanie Woodruff (PEPP), 21-14, 21-18
5) Victoria Henkel and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Ginevra Merlini and Emi Erickson (PEPP), 21-16, 21-19
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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