SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University beach volleyball team opened the 2026 West Coast Conference Championship Tournament on Thursday with a split, defeating No. 5 seed San Francisco, 3-2, before falling to No. 1 seed and No. 7-ranked LMU, 4-1, at Ocean Park Beach, advancing to Saturday's day two.
 
vs. SAN FRANCISCO

• Santa Clara (20-16) took down the Dons (12-18) in the morning, winning three of five pairs to advance in the tournament.
   
• Avery Cukjati and Teagan Wilson were efficient at the 2s, taking down Jia Lonardi and Rainie Stevens in straight sets, 23-21, 21-14. Sadie Snipes and Sammy Wood followed at the No. 1 pairs, defeating McKenna Towne and Kaydence Stormes in straight sets, 21-18, 21-17, while Tyler Parouse and Ava Stoddard closed it out at the 5s, dispatching Nadia Murray Ceriello and Scarlett McClung, 21-16, 21-12.
   
• Anna Balsdon and Noelle Niederman dropped a 21-16, 21-17 decision to Branson Lennon and Rylie Reeves at the 3s. Ciara Cantlen and Alexandra Urbina pushed San Francisco's Mahila Priestley and Burkleigh Smith to a third set at the 4s before dropping the decision, 21-19, 16-21, 15-8.

vs. No. 7 LMU

• Santa Clara competed against the tournament's top seed and seventh-ranked Lions (27-10) in the afternoon, with Snipes and Wood earning the Broncos' lone point via forfeit at the No. 1 pairs.
   
• Cukjati and Wilson pushed LMU's Chloe Hooker and Ines Piret to extra points in the second set at the 2s before dropping the decision, 21-15, 22-20. Cantlen and Urbina were equally competitive at the 4s, falling to Maja Kruczek and Josefine Schaekel, 21-14, 21-18, while Parouse and Stoddard dropped a 21-12, 21-11 decision to Ellie Davis and Katie McAlister at the 5s.
   
• Balsdon and Niederman fell to Jaeya Brach and Magdalena Rabitsch at the 3s, 21-11, 21-16, to close out the day.

COMING UP

• The Broncos face fifth-seeded San Francisco again at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in an elimination match. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.

Santa Clara 3, San Francisco 2
Ocean Park Beach – Santa Monica, Calif.
April 23, 2026
 
1. Sadie Snipes/Sammy Wood (SCU) def. McKenna Towne/Kaydence Stormes (USF) 2-0: 21-18, 21-17
2. Avery Cukjati/Teagan Wilson (SCU) def. Jia Lonardi/Rainie Stevens (USF) 2-0: 23-21, 21-14
3. Branson Lennon/Rylie Reeves (USF) def. Anna Balsdon/Noelle Niederman (SCU) 2-0: 21-16, 21-17
4. Mahila Priestley/Burkleigh Smith (USF) def. Ciara Cantlen/Alexandra Urbina (SCU) 2-1: 21-19, 16-21, 15-8
5. Tyler Parouse/Ava Stoddard (SCU) def. Nadia Murray Ceriello/Scarlett McClung (USF) 2-0: 21-16, 21-12
 
Order of finish: 1, 5, 3, 2, 4
 
LMU 4, Santa Clara 1
Ocean Park Beach – Santa Monica, Calif.
April 23, 2026
 
1. Snipes/Wood (SCU) def. Anna Pelloia/Tanon Rosenthal (LMU) by forfeit
2. Chloe Hooker/Ines Piret (LMU) def. Cukjati/Wilson (SCU) 2-0: 21-15, 22-20
3. Jaeya Brach/Magdalena Rabitsch (LMU) def. Balsdon/Niederman (SCU) 2-0: 21-11, 21-16
4. Maja Kruczek/Josefine Schaekel (LMU) def. Cantlen/Urbina (SCU) 2-0: 21-14, 21-18
5. Ellie Davis/Katie McAlister (LMU) def. Parouse/Stoddard (SCU) 2-0: 21-12, 21-11
 
Order of finish: 3, 5, 4, 2, 1