Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
BVB | Baka Named First Team All-WCC, Five Gaels Score Awards
5/4/2021 1:13:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
SAN MATEO, Calif. — After securing a third-place finish at the West Coast Conference Championship, Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball got some well-earned recognition for their season. Five Gaels were honored by the WCC as being selected to various All-WCC teams, and Elena Baka was chosen as First Team All-WCC for the first time in her beach volleyball career at Saint Mary's.
BACK TO BAKA
After being named to the honorable mention list during indoor season, Elena Baka scores First Team honors on the All-WCC team for beach season. She spent time paired up with Chandler Cowell and eventually took over the top-spot in the Gaels lineup. Baka was featured anywhere from the top pair down to the fourth pair, with a season-best nine of her matches coming as the Gaels top pair. Overall, Baka went 11-8 with Cowell, snagging the third-most wins amongst any Gaels pair, and her four wins in the first and second pair were the second-most on the Gaels. On the season, Baka won matches against top-ranked opponents such as #12 Stanford and #11 Pepperdine.
JOY TO JOYCE
Coming on strong at the end of season, Makenna Joyce (paired with her teammate and veteran Selbie Christensen) solidified herself in the fives and it helped her earn a spot on the All-WCC Freshman Team. Joyce and Christensen matched the wins total put up by Baka and Cowell by scoring 11 wins, and going 11-6 overall, including 10-6 in the fives. Many of the wins that Joyce helped anchor were among the best wins of the year for Saint Mary's, including top-ranked wins over #18 Stanford (her first collegiate win), #5 LMU, #11 Pepperdine twice, and #6 Cal Poly.
TRIO ON SECOND TEAM
Three Gaels were named to the All-WCC Second Team: Chandler Cowell, Hawley Harrer, and Alexsa "Crash" Parker. Cowell teamed up with Baka this season to make up one of the most productive pairs for the Gaels, as the two showed strong rapport all season in making their way up to the top pair the Gaels had to offer. Harrer and Parker spent the most time this season as the Gaels top pair, before dropping down into the twos at the end of the season. They combined for a 12-10 record, scoring the second-most wins on the Gaels this season. Among notable wins, they scored victories over #12 Stanford and #13 Pepperdine.
#GaelsRise
BACK TO BAKA
After being named to the honorable mention list during indoor season, Elena Baka scores First Team honors on the All-WCC team for beach season. She spent time paired up with Chandler Cowell and eventually took over the top-spot in the Gaels lineup. Baka was featured anywhere from the top pair down to the fourth pair, with a season-best nine of her matches coming as the Gaels top pair. Overall, Baka went 11-8 with Cowell, snagging the third-most wins amongst any Gaels pair, and her four wins in the first and second pair were the second-most on the Gaels. On the season, Baka won matches against top-ranked opponents such as #12 Stanford and #11 Pepperdine.
JOY TO JOYCE
Coming on strong at the end of season, Makenna Joyce (paired with her teammate and veteran Selbie Christensen) solidified herself in the fives and it helped her earn a spot on the All-WCC Freshman Team. Joyce and Christensen matched the wins total put up by Baka and Cowell by scoring 11 wins, and going 11-6 overall, including 10-6 in the fives. Many of the wins that Joyce helped anchor were among the best wins of the year for Saint Mary's, including top-ranked wins over #18 Stanford (her first collegiate win), #5 LMU, #11 Pepperdine twice, and #6 Cal Poly.
TRIO ON SECOND TEAM
Three Gaels were named to the All-WCC Second Team: Chandler Cowell, Hawley Harrer, and Alexsa "Crash" Parker. Cowell teamed up with Baka this season to make up one of the most productive pairs for the Gaels, as the two showed strong rapport all season in making their way up to the top pair the Gaels had to offer. Harrer and Parker spent the most time this season as the Gaels top pair, before dropping down into the twos at the end of the season. They combined for a 12-10 record, scoring the second-most wins on the Gaels this season. Among notable wins, they scored victories over #12 Stanford and #13 Pepperdine.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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