Beach Volleyball Falls In Big West Championship Finals

Friday, April 24

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

1:45 p.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Davis

4/24/2026 4:53:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball

Reaching the championship match, No. 10 Long Beach State lost to No. 6 Cal Poly.

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

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Long Beach State advanced to the Big West Championship finals against top seed and host Cal Poly, but lost to the Mustangs in a tight match on the road.

Long Beach State (25-11) opened the day with a semifinal victory over UC Davis (17-21). The Aggies had reached the semifinals following a 3-1 win over Cal State Bakersfield earlier in the day.

The Beach controlled the action through on the way to a quick 3-0 win. Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy rolled to a 21-13, 21-12 win in the second flight over Emma Johnson and Alexandra Leal. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch quickly followed with a 21-11, 21-14 win in the fifth flight, and Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage stopped the match with a 22-20, 21-18 win over Skye Smolinski and Kate O'Steen, just in front of Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah who were one point away from a two-set win as well in the top flight.

Against the Mustangs, the overall match was close even though Cal Poly (30-8) ended the match early with three wins. Julia Westby and Elise Lenahan picked up a quick point for the Mustangs in a 21-7, 21-16 win in the fourth flight, but the Beach grabbed a first set win in the third flight with Edwards and Esser and the ones were potentially on their way to a third set with the match was halted.

Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger were 21-12, 21-19 winners against Phillips and Birch, and then the match was decided in a close 21-19, 21-19 defeat from Hinton and Wagdy against Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter.

Long Beach State will now anticipate the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., which will announce the bracket for the upcoming NCAA Championship which will again be held in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

(2) Long Beach State 3, (4) UC Davis 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) vs. Kinley Lindhardt and Ella Erteltova (UCD), Unfinished
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Emma Johnson and Alexandra Leal (UCD), 21-13, 21-12
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) vs. Kendal Steller and Shelby Santo (UCD), Unfinished
4) Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU) def. Skye Smolinski and Kate O'Steen (UCD), 22-20, 21-18
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Ava Berard and Kirra Martin (UCD), 21-11, 21-14
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 4

(1) Cal Poly 3, (2) Long Beach State 0
1) Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU) vs. Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep (CP), unfinished
2) Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter (CP) def. Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU), 21-19, 21-19
3) Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU) vs. Quinn Perry and Ashleigh Adams (CP), unfinished
4) Julia Westby and Elise Lenahan (CP) def. Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 21-7, 21-16
5) Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger (CP) def. Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU), 21-12, 21-19
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 2