Beach Volleyball Picks Up Two Ranked Wins In Texas

3/27/2026 5:31:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Long Beach State will face No. 12 LSU, No. 6 Texas on Saturday.

By: Roger Kirk, Associate Athletics Director, Communications & Broadcast

AUSTIN, Texas – No. 10 Beach Volleyball got off to a strong start at the Texas Invitational, holding off No. 17 North Florida 3-2 before rolling to a 5-0 sweep of No. 16 Florida Atlantic, earning two important wins to start the tournament on Friday.

Long Beach State (17-5) won the first of their four matches in Texas with a 3-2 win over North Florida (12-9), the second win this season against the Ospreys. Playing in two waves, Long Beach State split the first two matches with UNF. Playing with Josie Gamberdella for the first time on the year, Victoria Henkel and LBSU fell in straight sets in the fourth flight, but Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch picked up what would be a critical win in the fifth flight, defeating Kamryn McDonald and Samantha Crosby 21-19, 16-21, 15-13 to split the first two matches.

In the second wave, Long Beach State's class at the top of the lineup showed. Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah rolled to a 21-13, 21-14 win in the top flight, which was quickly followed by a 21-18, 21-13 win from Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy to clinch the match. North Florida salvaged a second point at the threes, as Andrea Da Silva Encinas and Madison Espy held off Kiara Edwards and Savannah Standage 21-18, 9-21, 15-13.

In the day's second match, Long Beach State picked up an early lead against No. 16 Florida Atlantic (13-8) and went on to finish off a sweep of the Owls.

Birch and Phillips picked up a second win, rolling to a 21-18, 21-11 win in the fifth flight, while Henkel and Gamberdella rebounded with a three-set victory, winning 21-16, 18-21, 15-11 over Reese Edwards and Kendall Mignerey.

Up 2-0 in the match, this time it was Hinton and Wagdy who clinched the victory, winning 21-19, 21-13 over Ava Koehl and Olivia Strandberg. Gementera and Hagenah won in straight sets as well, as did Kiara Edwards with Madi Collins in the second match, as the Beach grabbed their second win in Austin.

Long Beach State's time in Texas continues with two more matches on Saturday. The Beach will have an early start taking on No. 12 LSU at 6 a.m. PT, and then close their time in Austin against the hosts, No. 6 Texas at 8:30 a.m. PT. The final match will be live streamed on the Longhorn Network.

#10 Long Beach State 3, #17 North Florida 2
1) Taylor Hagenah / Malia Gementera (LBSU) def. Presley Murray / Sophia Notaro (UNF) 21-13, 21-14
2) Tineke Hinton / Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Cameron Humphries / Mackenzie Murphy (UNF) 21-18, 21-13
3) Andrea Da Silva Encinas / Madison Espy (UNF) def. Kiara Edwards / Savannah Standage 21-18, 9-21, 15-13
4) Eden Anderson / Ally Bunch (UNF) def. Victoria Henkel / Josie Gamberdella (LBSU) 22-20, 21-15
5) Kealoha Phillips / Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Kamryn McDonald / Samantha Crosby (UNF) 21-19, 16-21, 15-13
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 1, 3, 2

#10 Long Beach State 5, #16 Florida Atlantic
1) Malia Gementera / Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Denisse Morgenstern / Shantel Starling (FAU) 22-20, 21-12
2) Tineke Hinton / Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Ava Koehl / Olivia Strandberg (FAU) 21-19, 21-13
3) Kiara Edwards / Madi Collins (LBSU) def. Klaire VanDeusen / Mia Scanlon (FAU) 21-17, 21-14
4) Victoria Henkel / Josie Gamberdella (LBSU) def. Reese Edwards / Kendall Mignerey (FAU) 21-16, 18-21, 15-11
5) Brooke Birch / Kealoha Phillips (LBSU) def. Cameron Knifton / Allison Spittal (FAU) 21-18, 21-11
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1