EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — On the final day of the 2021 WCC Beach Volleyball Championship, Saint Mary's was in contention for a conference championship. They needed to win three times in order to do so, and seemed poised for it after a sweep of Pacific in their first match of the day. After showing improvements against second-seeded Pepperdine, the Gaels were still unable to navigate through the Waves, falling 4-1 and ending their season with a third-place finish in the conference championships for the second-consecutive season (2019).
 
All started off well for Saint Mary's against fifth-seeded Pacific, as the Gaels rolled past them for their third sweep of the conference tournament. The top-pairing of Chandler Cowell and Elena Baka were dominant over the Tigers, posting lopsided scores of 21-7 and 21-11. It didn't take long for the match to end either, with Makenna Joyce and Selbie Christensen winning 21-13 and 21-9, and Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird clinching it with scores of 21-8 and 21-10. As a matter of fact, every pair for the Gaels was able to hold Pacific to 10 points or less in at least one set.
 
Pepperdine brought a tougher challenge, however, and it was one that the Gaels were better prepared for. Taking on the Waves for the second time in as many days, the Gaels were able to take a pair from Pepperdine, unlike on Friday. Alexsa "Crash" Parker and Hawley Harrer were basically able to outlast the twos of Pepperdine, with long sets that went 21-19 and 25-23 (looking like an indoor score versus beach). Another Gaels pair was able to sneak past with a set, as Kendrick and Laird took the second set in the fours. They were also able to take the third set to extra points before dropping it 17-15 to wrap up the day.
 
Saint Mary's takes third place in the conference tournament for the second-straight year, as they did in 2019 during the last WCC Championship. Pepperdine and LMU will play for a conference championship later this afternoon, with both teams being ranked inside the top-15 in the AVCA, and both representing the top seeds in the tournament.
 
RESULTS vs. PACIFIC
(1) Chandler Cowell/Elena Baka (SMC) def. Hanne De Schrijver/Alexa Edwards (UOP) 21-7, 21-11
(2) Alexsa "Crash" Parker/Hawley Harrer (SMC) def. Gabby Leo/Sedona Sherman (UOP) 21-10, 21-16
(3) Jasmin Suarez/Sienna Young (SMC) def. Jenny Todd/Jadyn Tubbs (UOP) 21-9, 21-13
(4) Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) def. Lucy Carpenter/Hania Taduran (UOP) 21-8, 21-10
(5) Makenna Joyce/Selbie Christensen (SMC) def. Kaelyn Saler/Illyria Kalaj (UOP) 21-13, 21-9
 
ORDER FINISH: 1, 5, 4*, 2, 3
 
RESULTS vs. #13 PEPPERDINE
(1) Carly Skjodt/Melanie Paul (PEP) def. Chandler Cowell/Elena Baka (SMC) 21-15, 21-13
(2) Alexsa "Crash" Parker/Hawley Harrer (SMC) def. Brook Bauer/Alexis Filippone (PEP) 21-19, 25-23
(3) Sutton MacTavish/Simone Priebe (PEP) def. Jasmin Suarez/Sienna Young (SMC) 21-9, 21-9
(4) Mary Sinclair/Gracie Pedersen (PEP) def. Morgan Kendrick/Jennifer "Boo" Laird (SMC) 21-15, 16-21, 17-15
(5) Katie Gavin/Kristine Briede (PEP) def. Makenna Joyce/Selbie Christensen (SMC) 21-17, 21-10

ORDER FINISH: 3, 1, 5*, 2, 4

BROWNING BITES
"Hawley and Crash winning on Court 2 is a huge win. Pepperdine is a great team at every pair and we have won at four positions...I am proud of our seniors. Sienna, Crash, Morgan, and Maddie have been wonderful contributors to our program. We are going to miss them dearly...this was an amazing season. It is truly remarkable what these student-athletes pulled off playing indoor and the success they had there, and overlapping with beach season. We have a very special group of student-athletes here. All 18 of them this year contributed to the success we had. Our coaches have done a phenomenal job. I'm so proud of this Saint Mary's Volleyball family." - co-head coach, Rob Browning

HAWLEY HARPS
"This weekend showed the character of our program on and off the courts. I am so proud of this team. We will miss the seniors next year so much! I will especially miss my partner, Crash...she was such a blessing to be able to play with this year, and is an amazing person on and off the court. And thank you to our coaches who did a phenomenal job balancing the hectic schedules of indoor and beach, and making it possible that we could play both at the same time. Go Gaels!" - Hawley Harrer