Dawgs Drop 4-1 Duals To Top-Five Foes

Saturday, April 8

Santa Monica, Calif.

10:00 AM

University of Washington

Long Beach State

April 08, 2017 | Beach Volleyball

By: UW Athletic Communications

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Once again, the Husky beach volleyball team went toe to toe with top-five competition, picking up a couple wins at the top of the lineup, but not enough to score the upsets, as the Huskies lost 4-1 decisions to No. 5 Long Beach State and then No. 3 UCLA at Ocean Park.

Over the last two days, Washington (1-3) has played three of the top-five teams in the country, all three opponents having played more than 20 matches this year compared to just one for the Dawgs coming in. Washington will play another top-10 opponent on Sunday in No. 8 Arizona before ending the busy weekend against unranked Concordia.

Vs. No. 5 Long Beach State

Late in the match, the Huskies were actually in a position to spring the huge upset, trailing 2-1 but battling in third sets at the two remaining matches at No. 2 and No. 3. However the 49ers (19-4) came through in both third sets to end Washington's upset bid.

Tia Scambray returned to the lineup after a one-match absence today, teaming again with Crissy Jones at the No. 1 spot, and the two immediately picked up a huge victory over LBSU's Nieto and Barber, the reigning Big West Pair of the Week that came into the match today with a 20-2 record on the year. But Scambray and Jones were not to be denied, winning in straight sets, 21-16, 21-16.

The matches at courts two and three saw Long Beach State take the first sets, then the Huskies rally for second set wins, before LBSU responded in the third.

The clinching point was at No. 3, where Destiny Julye and Shayne McPherson lost the first set, 13-21, to Harward and Brinke, but won the second set, 21-12, before Harward and Brinke won the third, 15-10, to make it 3-1 overall. At No. 2, Cassie Strickland and Courtney Schwan took the second set, 21-19, but Pekich and Karelov of LBSU had won the first, 21-13, and came back for a 15-10 win in the final match.

Anna Crabtree and Carly DeHoog rallied after a tough first set but couldn't quite force a third at No. 4, falling 21-8, 21-18, against Wagner and Weiss. Melanie Wade and Lindsay Chalmers had a 21-16, 21-14, loss at No. 5 to the 49ers' Hudson and Kruidhof.

Vs. No. 3 UCLA

UCLA came in on a 19-match winning streak and won the first four matches today in straight sets to make it 20 straight and improve to 22-2 on the season. The first point came at No. 4 where Carey/Anderson topped Anna Crabtree and Carly DeHoog, 21-15, 21-14. Next at No. 3, Destiny Julye and Shayne McPherson had a tough go against Zappia/Van Winden, falling 21-11, 21-8.

After their morning upset against Long Beach State, Jones and Scambray couldn't make it two in a row, suffering their first loss this season, 21-13, 21-10, to the McNamara twins at No. 1, a team that Jones and Scambray did upset in the Pac-12 tournament last year.

Melanie Wade and Lindsay Chalmers fought hard to force a third set but came up two points short against Simo and Justine at No. 5, 21-9, 21-19.

Washington got on the board in the final match as Strickland and Schwan knocked off the Bruin pair of Tan/Yeomans at the No. 2 spot. Strickland ended the long first set with an ace for 24-22, and the Dawgs closed out the win 21-17 in the second set.

Washington Beach Volleyball
April 8, 2017 – Santa Monica, Calif.
Ocean Park

#5 Long Beach State – 4
Washington – 1

1. Jones/Scambray (Wash) def. Nieto/Barber (LBSU), 21-16, 21-16
2. Pekich/Karelov (LBSU) def. Strickland/Schwan (Wash), 21-13, 19-21, 15-10
3. Harward/Brinke (LBSU) def. Julye/McPherson (Wash), 21-13, 12-21, 15-10
4. Wagner/Weiss (LBSU) def. Crabtree/DeHoog (Wash), 21-8, 21-18
5. Hudson/Kruidhof (LBSU) def. Wade/Chalmers (Wash), 21-16, 21-14
Order of finish: 5, 4, 1, 3*, 2

#3 UCLA – 4
Washington – 1

1. N. McNamara/M. McNamara (UCLA) def. Jones/Scambray (Wash), 21-13, 21-10
2. Schwan/Strickland (Wash) def. Tan/Yeomans (UCLA), 24-22, 21-17
3. Zappia/Van Winden (UCLA) def. Julye/McPherson (Wash), 21-11, 21-8
4. Carey/Anderson (UCLA) def. Crabtree/DeHoog (Wash), 21-15, 21-14
5. Simo/Justine (UCLA) def. Wade/Chalmers (Wash), 21-9, 21-19
Order of finish: 4, 3, 1*, 5, 2