No. 1 UCLA Advances with 3-0 Sweep of No. 8 TCU

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GULF SHORES, Ala. -- No. 1 UCLA (29-3) advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship on Friday morning with a 3-0 sweep of No. 8 TCU (26-9) in the opening game at Gulf Place. With the win, the Bruins improved to 3-0 all-time against the Horned Frogs.

The Bruins took a 1-0 lead after UCLA's Abby Van Winkle and Lindsey Sparks defeated TCU's Maria Gonzalez and Rochelle Brockett in straight sets on court three, 21-12, 21-17.

UCLA quickly went up 2-0 after court four's Megan Muret and Jacqueline Quade beat the Horned Frogs' Megan Jacobsen and Trinity Cavanaugh, 21-13, 21-17.

The clinching point came on court one where the Bruins' Savvy Simo and Lexy Denaburg took down TCU's Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno Mateeva 21-19, 21-17 on court one.

Two courts were unable to finish when the dual was decided, but the Bruins had won the first set on both courts. On court two, UCLA's Lea Monkhouse and Devon Newberry (UCLA) led Olivia Blackburn and Hailey Brockett 21-18, 17-17. On court five, the Bruins' Rileigh Powers and Jaden Whitmarsh led Caroline White and Josie Miller 21-19, 15-10.

The Bruins will take on No. 5 LMU (30-6) in the next round as the Lions upset No. 4 LSU in their first match. The Lions and the Bruins will square off at 1:00 p.m. PDT today live on ESPNU. The Bruins have already defeated LMU three times this season, the last was a 3-2 win in San Luis Obispo, Calif., on April 16.

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 8 TCU, 3-0
Gulf Place • Gulf Shores, Ala.
2021 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship
Friday, May 7, 2021
RECORDS: UCLA (29-3), TCU (26-9)
1. Savvy Simo/Lexy Denaburg (UCLA) def. Daniela Alvarez/Tania Moreno Mateeva (TCU); 21-19, 21-12
2. Lea Monkhouse/Devon Newberry (UCLA) vs. Olivia Blackburn/Hailey Brockett (TCU); 21-18, 17-17 truncated
3. Abby Van Winkle/Lindsey Sparks (UCLA) def. Maria Gonzalez/Rochelle Scott (TCU); 21-12, 21-17
4. Megan Muret/Jacqueline Quade (UCLA) def. Megan Jacobsen/Trinity Cavanaugh (TCU); 21-13, 21-17
5. Rileigh Powers/Jaden Whitmarsh (UCLA) vs. Caroline White/Josie Miller (TCU); 21-19, 15-10 truncated
Order of finish: 3, 4, 1*