Long Beach State University Athletics
Thursday, April 23
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
2 p.m.
Long Beach State University
5
vs
0
Cal State Bakersfield
Beach Volleyball Tops Pool B At Big West Championship
4/23/2026 5:49:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
No. 10 Long Beach State earned a bye into the semifinal match at 1:45 p.m. Friday.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Long Beach State got off to a strong start at the Big West Championship, winning two matches to top Pool B in San Luis Obispo.
Long Beach State (24-10) opened the championship with a convincing win over Cal State Bakersfield (11-24). Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser dominated in the third flight in a 21-10, 21-8 win, and Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah quickly put the Beach on top 2-0 with a 21-10, 21-13 win over Erika Markentin and Oliv Silacci-Jensen in the top flight.
Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage clinched the win with a 21-19, 21-13 win in the fourth flight, and Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy were also straight set winners at the twos. Havi Montana and Katey Milne took a set off of Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch in the fifth flight, but the pair finished off the sweep of the Runners with a 21-14, 24-26, 17-15 win.
The Beach carried that momentum into their second match against Hawai'i (18-13). Against the No. 17 Rainbow Wahine, all four matches were completed in two sets as the Beach came away with a 4-1 win to secure a bye in the competition's second day.
Hinton and Wagdy claimed a key first win for the Beach, 21-17, 21-16 against Emily Heintzelman and Kiera Cornman in the second flight, and then Phillips and Birch pulled the Beach closer with a 21-17, 21-13 win at the fives. Gementera and Hagenah then finished off the win with a 21-13, 21-19 win in the top flight against Julia Lawrence and Izadora Stedile.
The teams split the final two matches, with Kristen Serrano and Caprice Lorenzo defeating Henkel and Standage in the fourth flight, while Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser won two close sets 21-19, 21-19 against Julia Thelle and Sydney Miller.
Long Beach State will face the winner of the morning's second match between UC Davis and the winner of the final match Thursday between Sacramento State and Cal State Bakersfield.
Each match of the Big West Championship will have live scoring through StatBroadcast, with Long Beach State's matches available at beachlvestats.statbroadcast.com.
(2) Long Beach State 5, (7) Cal State Bakersfield 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Erika Markentin and Oliv Silacci-Jensen (CSUB), 21-10, 21-13
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Vivi Kaelin and Kendall Kaelin (CSUB), 21-19, 21-18
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Olivia Ostler and Emma Nevelle (CSUB), 21-10, 21-8
4) Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Ella Ensign and Vianna Garcia (CSUB), 21-19, 21-13
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Havi Montano and Katey Milne (CSUB), 21-14, 24-26, 17-15
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 5
(2) Long Beach State 4, (3) Hawai'i 1
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Julia Lawrenz and Izadora Stedile (UH), 21-13, 21-19
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Emily Heintzelman and Kiera Cornman (UH), 21-17, 21-16
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Julia Thelle and Sydney Miller (UH), 21-19, 21-19
4) Kristen Serrano and Caprice Lorenzo (UH) def. Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 21-17, 21-18
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Sarah Burton and Sophie Buschmann (UH), 21-17, 21-13
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 1, 4, 3
Long Beach State (24-10) opened the championship with a convincing win over Cal State Bakersfield (11-24). Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser dominated in the third flight in a 21-10, 21-8 win, and Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah quickly put the Beach on top 2-0 with a 21-10, 21-13 win over Erika Markentin and Oliv Silacci-Jensen in the top flight.
Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage clinched the win with a 21-19, 21-13 win in the fourth flight, and Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy were also straight set winners at the twos. Havi Montana and Katey Milne took a set off of Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch in the fifth flight, but the pair finished off the sweep of the Runners with a 21-14, 24-26, 17-15 win.
The Beach carried that momentum into their second match against Hawai'i (18-13). Against the No. 17 Rainbow Wahine, all four matches were completed in two sets as the Beach came away with a 4-1 win to secure a bye in the competition's second day.
Hinton and Wagdy claimed a key first win for the Beach, 21-17, 21-16 against Emily Heintzelman and Kiera Cornman in the second flight, and then Phillips and Birch pulled the Beach closer with a 21-17, 21-13 win at the fives. Gementera and Hagenah then finished off the win with a 21-13, 21-19 win in the top flight against Julia Lawrence and Izadora Stedile.
The teams split the final two matches, with Kristen Serrano and Caprice Lorenzo defeating Henkel and Standage in the fourth flight, while Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser won two close sets 21-19, 21-19 against Julia Thelle and Sydney Miller.
Long Beach State will face the winner of the morning's second match between UC Davis and the winner of the final match Thursday between Sacramento State and Cal State Bakersfield.
Each match of the Big West Championship will have live scoring through StatBroadcast, with Long Beach State's matches available at beachlvestats.statbroadcast.com.
(2) Long Beach State 5, (7) Cal State Bakersfield 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Erika Markentin and Oliv Silacci-Jensen (CSUB), 21-10, 21-13
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Vivi Kaelin and Kendall Kaelin (CSUB), 21-19, 21-18
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Olivia Ostler and Emma Nevelle (CSUB), 21-10, 21-8
4) Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Ella Ensign and Vianna Garcia (CSUB), 21-19, 21-13
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Havi Montano and Katey Milne (CSUB), 21-14, 24-26, 17-15
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 5
(2) Long Beach State 4, (3) Hawai'i 1
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) def. Julia Lawrenz and Izadora Stedile (UH), 21-13, 21-19
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Emily Heintzelman and Kiera Cornman (UH), 21-17, 21-16
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) def. Julia Thelle and Sydney Miller (UH), 21-19, 21-19
4) Kristen Serrano and Caprice Lorenzo (UH) def. Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 21-17, 21-18
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Sarah Burton and Sophie Buschmann (UH), 21-17, 21-13
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 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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