Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Faces Tough Competition at East Meets West Invitational
In a sun-soaked showdown at Manhattan Beach, the No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devil Beach Volleyball team saw their impressive winning streak snapped on Friday.
Facing off against top-tier competition, ASU fell to No. 1 UCLA with a decisive 5-0 and to No.
10 Cal with a 4-1 scoreline, marking the start of the East Meets West Invitational.
With a current season record of 10-2, the Sun Devils had been riding the longest winning streak in the program's history. Their performance against ranked teams remains strong at 5-2, a testament to their competitive edge this season.
The bright spot for ASU came from the resilient No. 4 pair, senior McKenna Flaherty and junior Kristin Gilmour. This dynamic duo continued their standout season, clinching their match to improve to a 10-1 record together. Individually, Flaherty boasts an impressive 11-1 record, the best on the team, while Gilmour has notched up 47 career victories.
The Bruins, holding the top spot with a 12-2 record, proved why they're a force to be reckoned with, delivering ASU their first sweep since April 11, 2025. This encounter also marked the first losses of the season for six Sun Devils, both individually and as pairs, underscoring UCLA's formidable strength.
The match against Cal was tightly contested. After the initial wave, the dual stood at 1-1.
Flaherty and Gilmour secured their match with identical 21-18 set victories. However, graduate Reagan Hope and senior Daniella Kensinger faced heartbreak on court two, narrowly losing both sets 22-20.
Courts three and five battled into third sets but ultimately couldn't secure wins.
Looking ahead, the Sun Devils are set to continue their campaign on Saturday, taking on No. 9 LMU and No.
13 Hawai’i. These matchups, scheduled for 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
MST/PDT respectively, promise more thrilling action and opportunities for ASU to bounce back.
Stay tuned as the Sun Devils aim to reclaim their momentum and showcase their grit against more top-ranked opponents.