Huskies Drop Season-Opener In Tucson

Saturday, March 2

Tucson, AZ

9:15 AM

University of Washington

California

March 02, 2019 | Beach Volleyball

By: UW Athletic Communications

SEATTLE – A "short"-handed Husky beach volleyball team missing four of its bigs battled hard today against two of the top teams in the nation today in its first two matches of the season at the University of Arizona's Bear Down Beach. The Dawgs dropped the opener in the morning to No. 11 California by a 4-1 score then were swept later in the day by No. 1-ranked UCLA as part of the Pac-12 South Invitational.

UW is spending its opening weekend facing top competition but missing Kara Bajema, Samantha Drechsel, Avie Niece, and Lauren Sanders who are at the U.S. National Team Open Tryout. Still, the Huskies came out ready to compete against a tough Cal team that UW faced in the Pac-12 semifinal last year.

The one point for the Huskies came from senior transfers Cat McCoy and Kristen Gengenbacher in their first career match on the sand. Playing at the No. 2 spot, McCoy and Gengenbacher defeated Cal's Schafer and Lindahl, 21-18, 21-19.

The Huskies fell just short at the No. 1 spot, where senior Destiny Julye and junior Shayne McPherson teamed up for the first time, taking on Polo/Mirkovic. The Bears won the first set, 21-15, the Huskies came back in the second set, 22-20, but the Cal pair took set three, 15-13.

Freshmen Kyra Petersen and Callie Weber had a couple set points in their first set at the No. 4 spot but Cal's Merino/Waldburger saved them and pulled away in the second set for the 25-23, 21-12 win.

The Bears also had a win at No. 3 where Chloe Newton and Emma Calle came up short, 21-15, 21-16, to Micheletti/Campbell. Freshman Anna Visser and sophomore Cailin Onosko played their first career matches at No. 5, falling short 21-11, 21-12 to Inman and Duek.

Match 2

The top-ranked Bruins moved to 8-0 with a 5-0 victory over the Huskies in the second match of the day.

Julye and McPherson lost at the No. 1 spot to the McNamara twins, 21-13, 21-13. McCoy and Gengenbacher took on Lily Justine and Sarah Sponcil, the 2018 AVP Rookie of the Year, at the No. 2 spot and fell, 21-12, 21-10. At No. 3, Newton and Calle had a 21-12, 21-16 loss to Muno and Van Winkle. Petersen and Weber fell to Monkhouse/Simo at No. 4 by a 21-10, 21-14 score. At No. 5, Marin Grote got her first start alongside Visser but they lost in straight sets to UCLA's Sparks/Carey.

The Huskies will be back in search of their first win tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. against Arizona State, airing on Pac-12 Networks.

Washington Beach Volleyball
Pac-12 South Invitational
March 2, 2019
Tucson, Ariz. | Bear Down Beach

Match 1

No. 11 California - 4
Washington – 1

1) Polo/Mirkovic (Cal) def. Julye/McPherson (UW), 21-15, 20-22, 15-13
2) Gengenbacher/McCoy (UW) def. Schafer/Lindahl (Cal), 21-18, 21-19
3) Micheletti/Campbell (Cal) def. Newton/Calle (UW), 21-15, 21-16
4) Merino/Waldburger (Cal) def. Petersen/Weber (UW), 25-23, 21-12
5) Inman/Duek (Cal) def. Visser/Onosko (UW), 21-11, 21-12
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 2, 1

Match 2

No. 1 UCLA – 5
Washington – 0

1) McNamara/McNamara (UCLA) def. Julye/McPherson (UW), 21-13, 21-13
2) Sponcil/Justine (UCLA) def. Gengenbacher/McCoy (UW), 21-12, 21-10
3) Muno/Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Newton/Calle (UW), 21-12, 21-16
4) Monkhouse/Simo (UCLA) def. Petersen/Weber (UW), 21-10, 21-14
5) Sparks/Carey (UCLA) def. Visser/Grote (UW), 21-5, 21-10
Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 1, 4