Long Beach State University Athletics
Friday, May 1
Gulf Shores, Ala.
10 a.m. PT
Long Beach State University
2
vs
3
(8) California
Beach Volleyball Edged In Thrilling Match With Cal At NCAA Championship
5/1/2026 12:33:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
Both teams would have match point, but the Golden Bears came away with the 3-2 victory.
GULF SHORES, Ala. – In a match pitting the two closest seeds together at the NCAA Championship, it was everything a fan of the sport could hope for, with four matches going to three sets and the deciding point going back and forth, but Cal took the opening round match 3-2, ending Long Beach State's season in Gulf Shores.
Long Beach State (25-12) opened up the match against California (24-13) by taking first sets on three courts as each match remained extremely close early in the first sets, as Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah rallied for a first set win in the top flight to give the Beach the early edge.
Cal would take the first point, however, as Mila Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan defeated Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser 21-18, 21-10 in the only match to finish in straight sets.
After falling in the first set, Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy rallied to even the match at 1-1, taking down Grace Hong and Marilu Pally in the second flight. The Golden Bears pulled the opposite trick, however, as Emma Donley and Portia Sherman recovered from their first set loss at the ones to defeat Gementera and Hagenah 21-23, 21-15, 15-11.
Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch had the largest first set win of the five, and despite Cal taking the second set, had another strong performance in the third to even the match with a 21-13, 19-21, 15-9 win over Alex Adishian and Mila Yarich.
That turned full attention to court four, where Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage had split the first two sets 15-21, 21-19, 18-16. Recovering from an early deficit, the Beach pair had a match point at 14-12. Haughy and Fisher scored three points to earn a match point of their own. Long Beach State was able to fight off two, but Cal closed out the match with a 15-21, 21-19, 18-16 win in the fourth flight.
Long Beach State finishes the 2026 season having made a fourth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance, ending the year with an overall record of 25-12.
(8) California 3, (9) Long Beach State 2
1) Emma Donley and Portia Sherman (CAL) def. Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU), 21-23, 21-15, 15-11
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Grace Hong and Marilu Pally (CAL), 19-21, 21-17, 15-10
3) Mila Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan (CAL) def. Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU), 21-18, 21-10
4) Gia Fisher and Ava Haughy (CAL) def. Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 15-21, 21-19, 18-16
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Alex Adishian and Mila Yarich (CAL), 21-13, 19-21, 15-9
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 5, 4
Long Beach State (25-12) opened up the match against California (24-13) by taking first sets on three courts as each match remained extremely close early in the first sets, as Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah rallied for a first set win in the top flight to give the Beach the early edge.
Cal would take the first point, however, as Mila Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan defeated Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser 21-18, 21-10 in the only match to finish in straight sets.
After falling in the first set, Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy rallied to even the match at 1-1, taking down Grace Hong and Marilu Pally in the second flight. The Golden Bears pulled the opposite trick, however, as Emma Donley and Portia Sherman recovered from their first set loss at the ones to defeat Gementera and Hagenah 21-23, 21-15, 15-11.
Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch had the largest first set win of the five, and despite Cal taking the second set, had another strong performance in the third to even the match with a 21-13, 19-21, 15-9 win over Alex Adishian and Mila Yarich.
That turned full attention to court four, where Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage had split the first two sets 15-21, 21-19, 18-16. Recovering from an early deficit, the Beach pair had a match point at 14-12. Haughy and Fisher scored three points to earn a match point of their own. Long Beach State was able to fight off two, but Cal closed out the match with a 15-21, 21-19, 18-16 win in the fourth flight.
Long Beach State finishes the 2026 season having made a fourth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance, ending the year with an overall record of 25-12.
(8) California 3, (9) Long Beach State 2
1) Emma Donley and Portia Sherman (CAL) def. Malia Gementera and Taylor Hagenah (LBSU), 21-23, 21-15, 15-11
2) Tineke Hinton and Demi Wagdy (LBSU) def. Grace Hong and Marilu Pally (CAL), 19-21, 21-17, 15-10
3) Mila Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan (CAL) def. Kiara Edwards and Mahala Esser (LBSU), 21-18, 21-10
4) Gia Fisher and Ava Haughy (CAL) def. Victoria Henkel and Savannah Standage (LBSU), 15-21, 21-19, 18-16
5) Kealoha Phillips and Brooke Birch (LBSU) def. Alex Adishian and Mila Yarich (CAL), 21-13, 19-21, 15-9
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 5, 4
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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