SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball (12-11) were swept in their semifinal match by Pepperdine (12-10) at the WCC Challenge, but took down Santa Clara (5-15) 4-1 to secure third place in the tournament. It was a soggy weekend on the beaches of Santa Cruz, but the Gaels walked away flexing their muscles as one of the top three teams in the conference at the midway point of the season. 

Pepperdine quickly polished off the 1, 4 and 5 pairings for Saint Mary's in straight sets to secure the victory. That said, both the two and three pairing battled valiantly. Playing in the two spot, Sedona Sherman and Sadie Shipman took their first set 21-17 over the Waves, but dropped the next two 21-14 and 15-5. In similar fashion Allie Cataldo and Angie Bour took their first set in the third flight, 21-18, before dropping their next two 21-13 and 15-11. 

Looking to respond, the Gaels picked up their second victory of the season over Santa Clara. Both the one pairing of Hawley Harrer and Hannah Couch and the five pairing of Paola Peralta and Chloe Swanson got things going with straight set victories. After dropping the fours, the Gaels needed wins from either their two pairing of Sherman/Shipman or their three pairing of Cataldo/Bour to secure the victory. While both the twos and the threes went to a third set, both Gaels pairings earned the victories, including an epic 25-23 third set won by Sherman and Shipman. 

Over a busy six match week, the Gaels split 3-3 to keep their record one game above .500 on the campaign. The Gaels one pairing of Harrer/Couch and their five pairing of Peralta Swanson each won three matches on the weekend. 

Saint Mary's will welcome San Jose State to Shaw and Knudsen Courts on Wednesday, April 3. 

MATCH ONE: PEPP 5 - SMC 0 
(1) Kate Clermont/McKenna Thomas (PEPP) def. Hawley Harrer/Hannah Couch (SMC) 21-12, 21-14 
(4) Kaydon Meyers/Gracie Pederson (PEPP) def. Karmin Brown/Cameron Martinez (SMC) 22-20, 21-16
(5) Maya McNabney/Emi Erickson (PEPP) def. Paola Peralta/Chloe Swanson (SMC) 21-13, 21-10
(2) Madison Oriskovich/Kristine Briede (PEPP) def. Sedona Sherman/Sadie Shipman (SMC) 17-21, 21-14, 15-5
(3) Sarlota Svobodova/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) def. Allie Cataldo/Angie Bour (SMC) 18-21, 21-13, 15-11

MATCH TWO: SMC 4 - SCU 1
(1) Hawley Harrer/Hannah Couch (SMC) def. Katie Kishton/Elena Radeff (SCU) 21-19, 21-13
(5) Paola Peralta/Chloe Swanson (SMC) def. Alexie Epstein/Alexandra Urbina (SCU) 21-19, 21-16
(4) Hailey Benesz/Jordan Bennett (SCU) def. Karmin Brown/Cameron Martinez (SMC) 21-16, 22-20
(3) Allie Cataldo/Angie Bour (SMC) def. Noelle Niederman/Sveva Munneke (SCU) 21-11, 19-21, 15-7
(2) Sedona Sherman/Sadie Shipman (SMC) def. Ella Duffner/Casey Campbell (SCU) 21-16, 16-21, 25-23 

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