Wildcats Fall to UCLA, Defeat Oregon to Move on to Day Two of Pac-12 Tournament
TEMPE, Ariz.- The Arizona Beach Volleyball team came back from a morning loss against UCLA to defeat Oregon in the contender's bracket on Day 1 of the Pac-12 Tournament. The Wildcats will continue in the tournament to face ASU tomorrow.
The Wildcats dropped to No. 2-seeded UCLA in a 0-3 loss to start the day, but Arizona rallied in the evening to defeat No. 9-seeded Oregon 3-1.
Arizona's Abby Russell/Olivia McElroy fell short against UCLA's 1's pair but secured the winning point of the dual for the Sand Cats against Oregon.
Pair Hope Shannon/Annie Kost went 0-2 on the day but put up a great fight against Oregon's 2's pair in the evening in three sets.
At No. 4, Arizona's Jess Horwath/Kate Phillips went back and forth with UCLA's pair, falling just short (21-19) in both sets. The pair rallied in their evening match against Oregon, earning a decisive victory against the Ducks' pair (21-9, 21-7) and winning the first point of the dual for the Sand Cats.
Arizona's Miranda Erro/Ashlyn Zilliken's first match against UCLA went unfinished, but the pair put up a great performance against the Ducks in the evening, winning in two sets and keeping Oregon's pair under 10 points in both sets.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Wildcats will face No.6-seeded Arizona State tomorrow at 1:45 p.m. Tomorrow's match will be a tiebreaker of sorts; the two teams have faced each other in the past two Pac-12 Championship Tournaments, with each earning one win. The in-state rivals are also 1-1 in the 2024 season.
#7 Arizona – 0 , #2 UCLA – 3
Court 1: Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Abby Russell and Olivia McElroy (ARIZ) 21-11, 21-8
Court 2: Peri Brennan and Devon Newberry (UCLA) def. Annie Kost and Hope Shannon (ARIZ) 21-9, 21-13
Court 3: Kylee Fitzsimmons and Grace Cook (ARIZ) Kenzie Brower and Jessie Smith (UCLA) unfinished
Court 4: Tessa Van Winkle and Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) def. Jess Horwath and Kate Phillips (ARIZ) 21-19, 21-19
Court 5: Ashlyn Zilliken and Miranda Erro (ARIZ) Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowki (UCLA) unfinished
#7 Arizona – 3, #9 Oregon – 1
Court 1: Abby Russell and Olivia McElroy (ARIZ) def. Daley McClellan and Alina Valenti (ORE) 21-13, 21-11
Court 2: Landree Coats and Bella Gamache (ORE) def. Annie Kost and Hope Shannon (ARIZ) 21-11, 18-21, 18-16
Court 3: Kylee Fitzsimmons and Grace Cook (ARIZ) Jensen Kaelin and Ashley Schroeder (ORE) unfinished
Court 4: Jess Horwath and Kate Phillips (ARIZ) def. Natasha George and Sophie Gregoire (ORE) 21-9, 21-7
Court 5: Ashlyn Zilliken and Miranda Erro (ARIZ) def. Presley McCaskill and Isabel Patterson (ORE) 21-9, 21-8