Ducks Pick Up Road Win at Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Oregon beach volleyball team closed out its regular season Friday with a 4-1 win over Portland. Natasha George and Sophie Gregoire clinched the dual with a win at No. 4 pairs.
The home team struck first with a win at No. 5 pairs but Oregon responded with a sweep on court three from Jensen Kaelin and Ashley Schroeder. The duo beat Taylor Helle and Maui Robins—21-13, 21-15—to even the dual at one point apiece. It was the pairs' sixth victory of the season and the 43rd of Schroeder's career.
The Ducks went ahead, 2-1, when Daley McClellan and Alina Valenti posted a three-set win over Leonie Freytag and Elin Larsson—22-20, 16-21, 15-13—at the top of the lineup. The win doubled as a birthday gift for Valenti who was also playing against her former team.
George and Gregoire, on their way to a sixth win together, raced through the opening set and went on to beat Jordan Bardouche and Kili Robins—21-10, 21-17—for the penultimate, and clinching, point. At No. 2 pairs, Landree Coats and Bella Gamache added the Ducks' fourth team point with a 21-18, 22-20 sweep.
Coats and Gamache have a team-high seven wins as a duo this season.
Oregon 4, Portland 1
1: Daley McClellan/Alina Valenti (ORE) def. Leonie Freytag/Elin Larsson (UP) – 22-20, 16-21, 15-13
2: Landree Coats/Bella Gamache (ORE) def. Sophie Lee/Annika Stammberger (UP) – 21-18, 22-20
3: Jensen Kaelin/Ashley Schroeder (ORE) def. Taylor Helle/Maui Robins (UP) – 21-13, 21-15
4: Natasha George/Sophie Gregoire (ORE) def. Jordan Bardouche/Kili Robins (UP) – 21-10. 21-17
5: Valerie Bruk/Elena Bullemer (UP) def. Presley McCaskill/Isabel Patterson (ORE) – 21-17, 22-20
Order of finish – 5, 3, 1, 4, 2
Up Next: The 2024 Pac-12 Championship begins Wednesday, April 24, in Tempe, Ariz. The bracket will be announced following this weekend's slate of matches. The conference tournament will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks.
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