Dawgs Fall Short Against Bruins, Sun Devils

Sunday, March 25

Santa Monica, CA

12:00 PM

University of Washington

UCLA

March 25, 2018 | Beach Volleyball

By: UW Athletic Communications

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Washington came up empty-handed at the Pac-12 South Invitational today at Ocean Park Beach, but remained competitive throughout and will look to continue improving to swing more matches in their favor the next time they meet their conference rivals. Today, the Dawgs lost 4-1 in their first meeting of the year with No. 2 UCLA and 4-1 again in a dual with Arizona State.

"It's hard to go through a weekend and not get some wins but the girls understand that this is a process, and that where we are headed is someplace much higher than where we are right now," said Head Coach Steve Whitaker. "We got better at certain things each time out but it was tough competition. We played UCLA very tight in the first sets so that was good but they are who they are for a reason. Arizona State, the wind really picked up and that's the one element we have not seen a lot of and we have to learn to handle that better, but we were starting to keep the ball lower and figure things out."

Match 1

In the first match of the day, the Huskies faced the highest-ranked Pac-12 squad at the moment in the second-ranked Bruins. All five of the first sets were within five points or fewer, but the Bruins won all five. The Huskies forced third sets at No. 2 and No. 4 but only Courtney Schwan and Destiny Julye were able to complete their comeback and get in the win column.

Schwan was 2-0 against UCLA last year, one win with Julye and one with former Husky Cassie Strickland, and she got a third-straight win today as she and Julye rallied against Lily Justine and Sarah Sponcil to win, 17-21, 22-20, 15-13. The other three setter came at No. 4 where Anna Crabtree and Natalie Robinson lost the first set, 16-21, to Mac May and Elise Zappia, but won the second set, 21-18, only to have the Bruins pull away in the third, 15-4.

Playing against her former team for the first time, Jordan Anderson, teaming with Kimmy Gardiner at the No. 1 spot, lost to UCLA's All-American McNamara twins, 21-18, 21-12. Carly DeHoog and Shayne McPherson lost at No. 3, 21-16, 21-11 to Zana Muno and Savvy Simo. At No. 5, Kara Bajema and Emma Calle hung close for a set but UCLA's Carey/Muret opened things up in the second set to win 21-17, 21-8.

Match 2

The Huskies fought hard looking to end the trip on a positive note, but multiple tight sets all went the way of the Sun Devils this afternoon, in a match that was much closer than the final score indicated. There were six sets decided by either two or three points, and ASU won five of those today. The Huskies were down 1-2 overall with the final two matches going into third sets, but Arizona State came out on top in both to clinch.

DeHoog and McPherson let a tight first set slip to ASU's Carbello and Lundberg and couldn't turn the tables, falling 22-20, 21-15, at No. 3 for the first point. Bajema and Calle then lost 21-19, 21-8, at No. 5 to Baldwin/Plaster.

The Huskies got their first win at the No. 1 spot, where Anderson/Gardiner got a straight set win over Kwyn Johnson and Mia Rivera, 21-16, 21-17.

Schwan and Julye were right on the threshold of a second win of the day at the No. 2 spot, leading a set and 12-9 in the second but ASU's Palmer/Woodard came back to swipe the second set, 23-21, and then won the third, 15-12.

At No. 4, Crabtree and Robinson pulled out a marathon second set to keep the Husky hopes alive, but fell in the third for the second time today, as Cross/Flood won 21-18, 24-26, 15-8, in the final match of the day.

Washington will look to break out of its skid with its first home matches of the season coming up this Thursday and Friday, Mar. 29 and 30, against Boise State and Portland at the Husky Beach Courts on campus.

Washington Beach Volleyball
March 25, 2018 – Santa Monica, Calif.
Ocean Park Beach

Match 1

#2 UCLA – 4
#19 Washington - 1

1. McNamara/McNamara (UCLA) def. Anderson/Gardiner (Wash), 21-18, 21-12
2. Schwan/Julye (Wash) def. Justine/Sponcil (UCLA), 17-21, 22-20, 15-13
3. Muno/Simo (UCLA) def. DeHoog/McPherson (Wash), 21-16, 21-11
4. May/Zappia (UCLA) def. Crabtree/Robinson (Wash), 21-16, 18-21, 15-4
5. Carey/Muret (UCLA) def. Bajema/Calle (Wash), 21-17, 21-8
Order of finish: 1, 3, 5*, 4, 2

Match 2

Arizona State – 4
#19 Washington – 1

1. Anderson/Gardiner (Wash) def. Johnson/Rivera (ASU), 21-16, 21-17
2. Palmer/Woodard (ASU) def. Schwan/Julye (Wash), 15-21, 23-21, 15-12
3. Carbello/Lundberg (ASU) def. DeHoog/McPherson (Wash), 22-20, 21-15
4. Cross/Flood (ASU) def. Crabtree/Robinson (Wash), 21-18, 24-26, 15-8
5. Baldwin/Plaster (ASU) def. Bajema/Calle (Wash), 21-19, 21-8
Order of finish: 3, 5, 1, 2*, 4