Beach Volleyball Wins First NCAA Title

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GULF SHORES, Ala. – The top-seeded UCLA beach volleyball team made history Sunday, winning the first NCAA Championship in program history. UCLA defeated fourth-seeded Florida State, 3-1, avenging a Friday loss to the Seminoles that put the Bruins one loss away from elimination. They proceeded to win four matches in two days, capped by Sunday's triumph, which gave UCLA its 116th overall NCAA Championship.

The Bruins won 35 of its final 36 matches to complete their historic season with a 40-4 overall record. The 40 wins represent a single-season NCAA record, previously set by USC last year (38). The Seminoles dropped to 33-7. The win marked UCLA's first over Florida State in an NCAA Championship setting, with the Bruins having been eliminated by the Seminoles in 2016 and 2017.

Returning to the flight format used throughout the regular season, pairs 4 and 5 took to the sand first. In their first action since Saturday's semifinal, the Seminoles got off to a hot start, claiming each first set. The Bruins would not go quietly, however, as each tandem recovered to force a first-to-15 third set.

UCLA's No. 5 pair of Izzy Carey and Megan Muret posted a dramatic 24-22 second-set victory and rode its newfound momentum to a 17-21, 24-22, 15-8 win over Madison Fitzpatrick and Francesca Goncalves to get the Bruins on the board first.

The Florida State duo of Molly McBain-Brooke Kuhlman would soon make it a best-of-three affair, though, pulling the Seminoles even with a 21-15, 19-21, 15-12 defeat of Elise Zappia-Mac May in a battle of No. 4 pairs.

The top three courts came out determined in the second flight, sweeping the first sets to put the Bruins on the brink of history. UCLA's Court 3 team of Zana Muno and Savvy Simo grabbed their opportunity with a convincing win over Macy Jerger-Sara Putt, 21-19, 21-9, to inch the Bruins one step closer.

With both Courts 1 and 2 on match point, the duo of Sarah Sponcil-Lily Justine played the part of hero. The second-court pair knocked off Katie Horton-Hailey Luke of the Seminoles, 21-18, 21-19, setting off a storming of the court in celebration.

The pairs of Nicole McNamara-Megan McNamara (Court 1) and Izzy Carey-Megan Muret (Court 5) were selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Watch the full broadcast replay of No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Florida State by clicking here.
Watch the court one replay featuring the McNamara twins by clicking here.
Watch the court two replay featuring Justine and Sponcil by clicking here.
Watch the court three replay featuring Muno and Simo by clicking here.
Watch the trophy presentation by clicking here.

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 4 Florida State, 3-1
Gulf Shores Public Beach • Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 6, 2018
Records: UCLA (40-4), Florida State (33-7)
1. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA) vs. Vanessa Freire/Tory Paranagua (FSU), 22-20, 20-14, DNF
2. Sarah Sponcil/Lily Justine (UCLA) def. Katie Horton/Hailey Luke (FSU), 21-18, 21-19
3. Zana Muno/Savvy Simo (UCLA) def. Macy Jerger/Sara Putt (FSU), 21-19, 21-9
4. Molly McBain/Brooke Kuhlman (FSU) def. Elise Zappia/Mac May (UCLA), 21-15, 19-21, 15-12
5. Izzy Carey/Megan Muret (UCLA) def. Madison Fitzpatrick/Francesca Goncalves (FSU), 17-21, 24-22, 15-8
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 2*