University of San Francisco Athletics

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The San Francisco beach volleyball team turned in an impressively strong finish Saturday on the final day of the West Coast Conference Midseason Tournament, winning twice and playing close against a nationally ranked team to grab the tourney's third-place spot at Main Beach.
 
San Francisco (9-10) beat Portland handily, 4-1, to start the day, then was swept by No. 18/18 Saint Mary's, 5-0, in the semifinals – but played the Gaels much closer than it did Friday – and finished off its successful day with a 3-2 beating of South Bay rival Santa Clara, 3-2, in the third place match.
 
We bounced back from a rough Friday to win the bronze match over Santa Clara. It was a team win as pairs No. 2, 3 and 4 won to take the dual after losing to Santa Clara in pool play (on Friday)," said USF head coach Frank Lavrisha. "(Camille) Araujo and (Victoria) Rogers led us on the weekend with three match wins.
 
"(Madelyn) LaFollette and (Emily) Zinger had an impressive win at the 2s versus Santa Clara while (Moana) To'oto'o and (Ella) Reames continued their winning ways. The strong finish reflects the work the Dons have put into their game this spring."
 
Araujo and Rogers, playing at the No. 4 pairs spot, joined Reames and To'oto'o, playing at the No. 3 spot, with victories in both of the Dons' wins. Araujo and Rogers beat Portland's Jessie Brigham and Sarah Strong, 21-10 and 24-22, then beat Santa Clara's Alexa Dreyer and Natalie Rentsch, 21-10 and 21-19. Reames and To'oto'o downed the Pilots' Reghan Pukis and Emma Scanlan in three sets, 21-17, 18-21, 18-16, then swept the Broncos' Kathryn Decker and Liliana Light, 21-17, 21-13.
 
Against the nationally ranked Gaels, the Dons showed much more fight than their match against them on Friday. USF played SMC to within four points in six sets, when they did that in just one set on Friday. Araujo and Rogers pushed Chandler Cowell and Jennifer "Boo" Laird to three sets, winning the first, 21-13, then narrowly falling in set two, 25-23, before the SMC duo took the matchup with a 15-10 third set victory.
 
San Francisco next travels down the Peninsula to face Pac-12 member Stanford on April 13. The regular season concludes with a home match on April 16 versus Pacific in Brisbane.
 
San Francisco 4, Portland 1
Main Beach -- Santa Cruz, Calif.
March 30, 2019
 
1. Anna Dalla Vecchia/Carly Lowry (USF) def. Shayla Hoeft/Morgan Robinson (POR), 21-17, 21-19
2. Katie Barker/Carey Williams (POR) def. Madelyn LaFollette/Emily Zinger (USF), 22-20, 21-19
3. Ella Reames/Moana To'oto'o (USF) def. Reghan Pukis/Emma Scanlan (POR), 21-17, 18-21, 18-16
4. Camille Araujo/Victoria Rogers (USF) def. Jessie Brigham/Sarah Strong (POR), 21-10, 24-22
5. Tanner Shayne Pemberton/Sophie Sydenham (USF) def. Kellie Hughes/Liz Reich (POR), 21-16, 21-17
 
#18/18 Saint Mary's 5, San Francisco 0
Main Beach -- Santa Cruz, Calif.
March 30, 2019
 
1. Sarah Chase/Lindsey Knudsen (SMC) def. Dalla Vecchia/Lowry (USF), 21-12, 21-11
2. Emily Bible/Lindsey Calvin (SMC) def. LaFollette/Zinger (USF), 21-19, 21-18
3. Alexsa "Crash" Parker/Sienna Young (SMC) def. Reames/To'oto'o (USF), 21-17, 21-18
4. Chandler Cowell/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) def. Araujo/Rogers (USF), 21-13, 23-25, 15-10
5. Selbie Christensen/Morgan Kendrick (SMC) def. Shayne Pemberton/Sydenham (USF), 21-17, 21-8
 
San Francisco 3, Santa Clara 2
Main Beach -- Santa Cruz, Calif.
March 30, 2019
 
1. Michelle Gajdka/Tessie Powers (SCU) def. Dalla Vecchia/Lowry (USF), 21-16, 19-21, 15-10
2. LaFollette/Zinger (USF) def. Alex Anthony/Chloe Loreen (SCU), 23-21, 21-16
3. Reames/To'oto'o (USF) def. Kathryn Decker/Liliana Light (SCU), 21-17, 21-13
4. Araujo/Rogers (USF) def. Alexa Dreyer/Natalia Rentsch (SCU), 21-10, 21-19
5. Brittany Gillingham/Gretchen Reinert (SCU) def. Shayne Pemberton/Sydenham (USF), 21-7, 21-14
 
(Rankings are DiG Magazine Poll/AVCA Coaches' Poll)