NCAA Beach Volleyball

Wildcats Fall to UCLA, Defeat Oregon to Move on to Day Two of Pac-12 Tournament

Wildcats Fall to UCLA, Defeat Oregon to Move on to Day Two of Pac-12 Tournament


TEMPE, Ariz.- The Arizona Beach Volleyball team came back from a morning loss against UCLA to defeat Oregon in the contender’s bracket on Day 1 of the Pac-12 Tournament. The Wildcats will continue in the tournament to face ASU tomorrow.

The Wildcats dropped to No. 2-seeded UCLA in a 0-3 loss to start the day, but Arizona rallied in the evening to defeat No. 9-seeded Oregon 3-1. 

Arizona’s Abby Russell/Olivia McElroy fell short against UCLA’s 1’s pair but secured the winning point of the dual for the Sand Cats against Oregon. 

Pair Hope Shannon/Annie Kost went 0-2 on the day but put up a great fight against Oregon’s 2’s pair in the evening in three sets. 

At No. 4, Arizona’s Jess Horwath/Kate Phillips went back and forth with UCLA’s pair, falling just short (21-19) in both sets. The pair rallied in their evening match against Oregon, earning a decisive victory against the Ducks’ pair (21-9, 21-7) and winning the first point of the dual for the Sand Cats. 

Arizona’s Miranda Erro/Ashlyn Zilliken’s first match against UCLA went unfinished, but the pair put up a great performance against the Ducks in the evening, winning in two sets and keeping Oregon’s pair under 10 points in both sets.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Wildcats will face No.6-seeded Arizona State tomorrow at 1:45 p.m. Tomorrow’s match will be a tiebreaker of sorts; the two teams have faced each other in the past two Pac-12 Championship Tournaments, with each earning one win. The in-state rivals are also 1-1 in the 2024 season.

#7 Arizona – 0 , #2 UCLA – 3

Court 1: Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Abby Russell and Olivia McElroy (ARIZ) 21-11, 21-8

Court 2: Peri Brennan and Devon Newberry (UCLA) def. Annie Kost and Hope Shannon (ARIZ) 21-9, 21-13

Court 3:  Kylee Fitzsimmons and Grace Cook (ARIZ) Kenzie Brower and Jessie Smith (UCLA) unfinished

Court 4: Tessa Van Winkle and Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Jess Horwath and Kate Phillips (ARIZ) 21-19, 21-19

Court 5: Ashlyn Zilliken and Miranda Erro (ARIZ) Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowki (UCLA) unfinished 

#7 Arizona – 3, #9 Oregon – 1

Court 1: Abby Russell and Olivia McElroy (ARIZ) def. Daley McClellan and Alina Valenti (ORE)…

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