No. 2 UCLA Advances to Winner's Bracket Semifinals

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GULF SHORES, Ala. -- No. 2 UCLA (33-7) advanced to the winner's bracket semifinal of the 2022 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship after defeating No. 6 LSU (31-11), 3-0, on Friday afternoon at Gulf Beach Place. UCLA improved to 14-2 all-time against the Tigers with its sixth-straight win in the series.

UCLA's Lea Monkhouse and Jessie Smith put the Bruins up 1-0 with a 25-23, 21-12, win on court three over LSU's Reilly Allred and Holly Carlton.

The Bruins quickly went up 2-0 when Lexy Denaburg and Abby Van Winkle defeated the Tigers' Parker Bracken and Bella Bauman on court one, 21-13, 21-19.

UCLA's freshman pair of Natalie Myszkowski and Sophie Moore earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament win on court five, taking down LSU's Sierra Caffo and Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope, 21-17, 21-17, to clinch the dual for the Bruins.

Devon Newberry and Jaden Whitmarsh were unable to finish their match when time was called, but they held a 21-19, 14-14 lead on court two over the Tigers' Kylie Deberg and Kelli Greene-Agnew.

Marlie Monserez and Rileigh Powers were also unable to finish but were leading 21-19, 16-15, over LSU's Ellie Shank and Grace Seits on court four.

UCLA will face No. 14 Georgia State on Saturday, May 7 at 9:00 a.m. CT/7:00 a.m. PT at Gulf Beach Place on ESPN2. The 10th-seeded Panthers advanced after pulling off the biggest upset in NCAA Beach Championship history, defeating second-seeded TCU, 3-2.

No. 2 UCLA def. No. 6 LSU, 3-0
Gulf Place Beach • Gulf Shores, Ala.
Friday, May 6, 2022 • 3:15 PM PT
Records: UCLA (33-7), LSU (31-11)
1. Lexy Denaburg/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Parker Bracken/Bella Bauman (LSU) 21-13, 21-19
2. Jaden Whitmarsh/Devon Newberry (UCLA) def. Kylie Deberg/Kelli Greene-Agnew (LSU) 21-19, 14-14, truncated
3. Lea Monkhouse/Jessie Smith (UCLA) def. Reilly Allred/Holly Carlton (LSU) 25-23, 21-12
4. Marlie Monserez/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) vs. Ellie Shank/Grace Seits (LSU) 21-19, 16-15, truncated
5. Natalie Myszkowski/Sophie Moore (UCLA) def. Sierra Caffo/Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope (LSU) 21-17, 21-17
Order of finish: 3, 1, 5*