University of San Francisco Athletics

KENTFIELD, Calif. — The San Francisco beach volleyball team took a pair and stayed close in two others Saturday against nationally ranked Saint Mary's, but the No. 18/20 Gaels used momentum from straight-set sweeps at the No. 2 and 3 pairs to earn a 4-1 win at the College of Marin's Kentfield Beach Volleyball Complex.
 
Ella Reames and Moana To'oto'o won their third consecutive match Saturday at the No. 4 pairs spot. It took an extra point in the third set, but they earned the victory over Saint Mary's duo Morgan Kendrick and Jennifer "Boo" Laird in three sets, 21-16, 15-21 and 16-14.
 
"To'oto'o and Reames had a great match at 4s, edging out Laird and Kendrick," said San Francisco head coach Frank Lavrisha.
 
USF's No. 1 pair also went to a third set against the top-20 ranked Gaels. Anna Dalla Vecchia and Carly Lowry won the opening set over Sarah Chase and Lindsey Knudsen, 21-16, but were narrowly edged in the second, 21-18. Chase and Knudsen clinched the pairs win with a 15-10 triumph in the third set.
 
"Lowry and Dalla Vecchia were very competitive at the 1s, taking the first set but losing in three to Knudsen and Chase in the most competitive match of the day.
 
"It was a solid day for the Dons. We had a great showing against a savvy Saint Mary's team that just returned from Hawaii for their opening weekend."
 
At the other end of the lineup, Lena Bondar and Tanner Shayne Pemberton fell in two sets at No. 5 pairs, but only by a combined total of six points. They pushed the SMC pair of Selbie Christiensen and Chandler Cowell to a minimum two-point victory (21-19) in the opening set. They stayed close in the second as well, only falling 21-17.
 
San Francisco next goes to Moraga and Saint Mary's on Friday to play two neutral-site matches. The Dons will face Feather River College for the second time this season at noon, then take on Pac-12 Conference member Utah at 3 p.m.
 
#18/20 Saint Mary's 4, San Francisco 1
College of Marin – Kentfield, Calif.
March 2, 2019
 
1.  Sarah Chase/Lindsey Knudsen def. Anna Dalla Vecchia/Carly Lowry, 16-21, 21-18, 15-10
2.  Emily Bible/Lindsey Calvin def. Camille Araujo/Victoria Rogers, 21-14, 21-10
3.  Crash Parker/Sienna Young def. Madelyn LaFollette/Emily Zinger, 21-14, 21-13
4.  Ella Reames/Moana To'oto'o def. Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird, 21-16, 15-21, 16-14
5.  Selbie Christiensen/Chandler Cowell def. Lena Bondar/Tanner Shayne Pemberton, 21-19, 21-17