No. 1 UCLA Downs No. 6 LSU, 3-2

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MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. -- No. 1 UCLA (21-2) concluded the UCLA Invitational on Sunday with a 3-2 win over No. 6 LSU (21-6) at the Manhattan Beach Pier. UCLA improved to 13-2 all-time against the Tigers with its fifth-straight win in the series.

The Bruin freshman pair of Natalie Myszkowski and Sophie Moore rallied to defeat LSU's Grace Seits and Ellie Shank, 19-21, 21-15, 15-10 to put the Bruins on the board first.

But Kylie Deberg and Kelli Greene-Agnew answered for LSU to tie the dual at 1-1 with a 19-21, 21-16, 15-8 win over Lea Monkhouse and Rileigh Powers on court two.

Lexy Denaburg and Abby Van Winkle defeated the Tigers' Bella Bauman and Parker Bracken in straight sets (21-16, 21-16) on court one to put UCLA up 2-1.

Allison Coens and Lara Boos defeated Jessie Smith and Marlie Monserez on court five in three sets (21-19, 19-21, 15-9) to tie the dual at 2-2.

Court three was where things got a little weird. LSU's Holly Carlton and Reilly Allred won the first set 22-20. But UCLA's Jaden Whitmarsh and Devon Newberry forced a third set with a 21-16 victory in the second. But LSU had to catch a flight and UCLA officials and coaches were told that LSU would have to forfeit the third set and ultimately lose the dual because the bus had to leave at 3:15 p.m. and it was already 3:10 p.m. when the second set ended. Then UCLA suggested that they could give the two players and the court coach from LSU a ride to the airport if they would like to send the rest of the team on to LAX as rescheduling flights would be impossible for the Tigers to return home until Tuesday if they missed their Sunday flight home. LSU agreed and continued with the third set as both pairs returned to complete the match that they both believed to be over. Ultimately, Whitmarsh and Newberry prevailed, 15-13, to clinch a 3-2 dual win for the Bruins.

In exhibition play, LSU's Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Sierra Caffo defeated Pani Napoleon and Tessa Van Winkle 22-20, 21-18.

The Bruins return to action on Saturday, Apr. 9 when the travel to Stanford, Calif., to take on California in the first game of the Pac-12 North Invitational at 10:00 a.m. PT. The game will be televised on Pac-12 Networks Bay Area.

No. 1 UCLA def. No. 6 LSU, 3-2
Manhattan Beach Pier • Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Sunday, Apr. 3, 2022 • 12:30 PM PT
Records: UCLA (21-2), LSU (21-6)
1. Lexy Denaburg/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Bella Bauman/Parker Bracken (LSU) 21-16, 21-16
2. Kylie Deberg/Kelli Greene-Agnew (LSU) def. Lea Monkhouse/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) 19-21, 21-16, 15-8
3. Jaden Whitmarsh/Devon Newberry (UCLA) def. Holly Carlton/Reilly Allred (LSU) 20-22, 21-16, 15-13
4. Natalie Myszkowski/Sophie Moore (UCLA) def. Grace Seits/Ellie Shank (LSU) 19-21, 21-15, 15-10
5. Allison Coens/Lara Boos (LSU) def. Jessie Smith/Marlie Monserez (UCLA) 21-19, 19-21, 15-9
EXH. Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope/Sierra Caffo (LSU) def. Pani Napoleon/Tessa Van Winkle (UCLA) 22-20, 21-18
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 5, 3*