PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Fourteenth-ranked Arizona beach volleyball split the final day of the Pac-12 Championship on Saturday, sweeping eighth-seeded Utah in its first match of the day before being eliminated by third-seeded California in a tightly contested match, 3-2. The Wildcats took home a fifth-place finish in the event with the split.
Saturday's split brought the end to another successful season for the Arizona beach volleyball team. The Wildcats, who were ranked in the ACVA top 15 throughout the duration of the season, earned their second 20-win season in 2018.
UA finished the the 2018 season with a 20-12 overall record.
The Wildcats started the day with a sweep over Utah (5-12). Caroline Cordes and Makenna Martin of the No. 5 pair picked up the first win of the day for Arizona, dominating against Utah's Brianna Doehrmann and Lauren Sproule, 21-8, 21-9.
Following up, UA's No. 2, 3, and 4 pairs defeated the Utes in straight sets to seal the deal. Natalie Anselmo and Olivia Macdonald defeated Adora Anae and Dani Barton of Utah's No. 1 team in three sets, 16-21, 25-23, 15-8.
14th-ranked Arizona advanced to the next round to face the California Bears (23-7). Brooke Burling and Jonny Baham kicked off the evening competition with a victory over California's No. 4 pair of Mia Merino and Caroline Schafer, 21-15, 21-16. However, California's Maddie Micheletti and Grace Campbell tied up the competition 1-1 after a win over Arizona's No. 5 tandem of Caroline Cordes and Makenna Martin.
The competition moved to a nail-biting match as the No. 1 pair of Natalie Anselmo and Olivia Macdonald fell to Mima Mirkovic and Jessica Gaffney, 19-21, 11-21. In three sets, Hailey Devlin and Stephany Purdue improved their season pairs record (16-8) with a victory over Bryce Bark and Madison Dueck, 13-21, 21-18, 20-18.
The competition was then left to the No. 2 pairs of Olivia Hallaran and Kacey Nady along with California's Iya Lindahl and Alexia Inman. The pairs battled to three sets. To conclude the match, in a close, hard-fought three set battle, UA dropped to California's Lindahl and Inman, 17-21, 31-29, 11-15.
Full Results
MATCH 7: #5 ARIZONA def. #8 UTAH, 5-0
2018 Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Championships
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Records: Arizona (20-12), Utah (5-12)
1. Natalie Anselmo/Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) def. Adora Anae/Dani Barton (UTAH), 16-21, 25-23, 15-8
2. Kacey Nady/Olivia Hallaran (ARIZ) def. Bailey Choy/Tawnee Luafalemana (UTAH), 21-12, 21-17
3. Hailey Devlin/Stephany Purdue (ARIZ) def. Melissa Powell/Kenzie Koerber (UTAH), 21-5, 21-19
4. Brooke Burling/Jonny Baham (ARIZ) def. Berkeley Oblad/Lauga Gauta (UTAH), 21-18, 21-11
5. Caroline Cordes/Makenna Martin (ARIZ) def. Brianna Doehrmann/Lauren Sproule (UTAH), 21-8, 21-9
MATCH 11: #3 CALIFORNIA def. #7 ARIZONA, 3-2
2018 Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Championships
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Friday, April 27, 2018
Records: California (23-7), Arizona (20-12)
1. Mima Mirkovic/Jessica Gaffney (CAL) def. Natalie Anselmo/Olivia Macdonald (ARIZ) 21-19, 21-11
2. Iya Lindahl/Alexia Inman (CAL) def. Kacey Nady/Olivia Hallaran (ARIZ) 21-17, 29-31, 15-11
3. Hailey Devlin/Stephany Purdue (ARIZ) def. Bryce Bark/Madison Dueck (CAL) 13-21, 21-18, 20-18
4. Brooke Burling/Jonny Baham (ARIZ) def. Mia Merino/Caroline Schafer (CAL) 21-15, 21-16
5. Maddie Micheletti/Grace Campbell (CAL) def. Caroline Cordes/Makenna Martin (ARIZ)
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