The Santa Clara University beach volleyball team earned two victories at the Aggie Classic on April 17, defeating Sacramento State and UC Davis in matches held at the UC Davis Beach Volleyball Courts.
These wins are important for Santa Clara as they improve their season record and demonstrate strong performances against regional opponents.
In the first match, Santa Clara beat Sacramento State with a score of 4-1. Avery Cukjati and Sadie Snipes secured a close win at the No. 1 pairs, coming back after dropping the second set to defeat Aurora Bibolotti and Victoria Marthaler in three sets. Teagan Wilson and Sammy Wood won their match in straight sets at the No. 2 position, while Ciara Cantlen and Alexandra Urbina also recorded a straight-set victory at No. 4 pairs. Tyler Parouse and Ava Stoddard closed out their match with extra points in the first set before winning decisively in the second set.
Against UC Davis, Santa Clara claimed another win by taking three of five pairs matches. Cukjati and Snipes dominated their opponents with a straight-set victory at No. 1 pairs, while Cantlen and Urbina repeated their earlier success with another straight-set win at No. 4 pairs. Parouse and Stoddard contributed to the team’s tally by winning a tight three-setter at No. 5 pairs.
Other matches saw some setbacks for Santa Clara: Mandy Hansen and Noelle Niederman lost a close contest against Sacramento State’s Kate Doorn and Mia Guevara, while Anna Balsdon teamed up with Hansen but fell to UC Davis’ Kate O’Steen and Skye Smolinski.
Santa Clara’s performance during these matches highlights depth across its lineup as it continues through its season.
