Top-Ranked UCLA Earns Two More Wins in Hawaii

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HONOLULU — No. 1 UCLA (4-0) posted two hard-fought victories over top 10 teams on Friday at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic at Queen’s Beach in very windy conditions (maxed out at 25.1 MPH). The Bruins defeated No. 9 Stanford (2-1), 3-2, and then defeated No. 10 Hawai’i (2-2), 4-1. With the two victories, UCLA improved to 17-0 all-time against Stanford and 13-6 against Hawai’i.

In the first dual against the Cardinal, the Bruins won all three odd courts in straight sets to remain undefeated on the year and in the series with Stanford.

The Bruins went up 1-0 on court five as senior Rileigh Powers and graduate student Haley Hallgren, made quick work of Stanford’s Sophie Kubiak and Emmy Sharp, 21-15, 21-9.

The Cardinal would tie it up at 1-1 when Kelly Belardi and Ashley Vincent defeated Kelli Greene-Agnew and Natalie Myszkowski, 21-16, 21-12, on court four.

Sophie Moore and Tessa Van Winkle then teamed up to take down Taylor Wilson and Line Andersson on court three, 21-14, 22-20, to put the Bruins up 2-1.

Senior Lexy Denaburg and freshman Maggie Boyd clinched the Bruins’ win on court one with a straight-set win over Charlie Ekstrom and Kate Reilly, 21-19, 21-16.

Maya Harvey and Maddi Kriz held off sophomore Jessie Smith and graduate student Abby Van Winkle on court two, 13-21, 21-16, 15-11, to provide the 3-2 final.

The Bruins defeated the Rainbow Wahine in the second dual, 4-1.

Denaburg and Boyd put the Bruins up 1-0 with a 21-16, 21-17 win over Kylin Loker and Riley Wagoner on court one.

Tessa Van Winkle and Peri Brennan made it 2-0 UCLA with a 21-15, 21-17 win on court three over UH’s Sofia Russo and Lea Kruse.

The ‘Bows made it 2-1 when Brooke Van Sickle and Kaylee Glagau defeated Abby Van Winkle and Smith, 21-18, 21-15.

Court five was the decider again with Powers and Natalie Myszkowski holding off Ilihia Huddleston and Sophie Buschmann, 21-17, 19-21, 15-13.

A pair of graduate students, Jaden Whitmarsh and Marlie Monserez, provided the 4-1 final with a come-from-behind win on court four over Sarah Burton and Caprice Lorenzo, 29-31, 21-13, 15-6.

The tournament field now turns to bracket play with top-seeded UCLA facing the winner of Saint Mary’s/Stephen F. Austin in the second semifinal on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT/11:30 a.m. HT.

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 9 Stanford, 3-2

Queen’s Beach • Honolulu, Hawaii

Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 • 12:15 PM PT

Records: UCLA (3–0), Stanford (2-1)

1. Maggie Boyd/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Charlie Ekstrom/Kate Reilly (STAN) 21-19, 21-16

2. Maya Harvey/Maddi Kriz (STAN) def. Jessie Smith/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) 13-21, 21-16, 15-11

3. Sophie Moore/Tessa Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Taylor Wilson/Line Andersson (STAN) 21-14, 22-20

4. Kelly Belardi/Ashley Vincent (STAN) def. Kelli Greene-Agnew/Natalie Myszkowski (UCLA) 21-16, 21-12

5. Rileigh Powers/Haley Hallgren (UCLA) def. Sophie Kubiak/Emmy Sharp (STAN) 21-15, 21-9

Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 1*, 2

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 10 Hawai’i, 4-1

Queen’s Beach • Honolulu, Hawaii

Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 • 2:45 PM PT

Records: UCLA (4–0), Hawai’i (2-2)

1. Lexy Denaburg/Maggie Boyd (UCLA) def. Kylin Loker/Riley Wagoner (UH) 21-16, 21-17

2. Brooke Van Sickle/Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Abby Van Winkle/Jessie Smith (UCLA) 21-18, 21-15

3. Tessa Van Winkle/Peri Brennan (UCLA) def. Sofia Russo/Lea Kruse (UH) 21-15, 21-17

4. Jaden Whitmarsh/Marlie Monserez (UCLA) def. Sarah Burton/Caprice Lorenzo (UH) 29-31, 21-13, 15-6

5. Rileigh Powers/Natalie Myszkowski (UCLA) def. Ilihia Huddleston/Sophie Buschmann (UH) 21-17, 19-21, 15-13

Order of finish: 1, 3, 2, 5*, 4