Beach Volleyball | 4/2/2016 4:33:00 PM

Complete results

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The 13th-ranked San Francisco Dons stretched their record on the year to 12-2 after a successful day on Main Beach in the second Santa Cruz Invitational, co-hosted by USF and Santa Clara.

Two pairs for the Dons came away undefeated on the day. No. 2 duo of Katarina Pilepic and Jurja Vlasic needed three sets to down their opponents from CSUN and Santa Clara to pick up three wins on the beach. USF's No. 4 pairing of Jessica Gaffney and Kiara McKibben also came away unscathed, winning each of its matches in straight sets. Gaffney and McKibben now stand at 13-1 on the season, with their only blemish coming at the hands of Pacific on March 15.

The Dons opened the day with a 4-1 victory over CSUN in the first ever meeting on the sand between the two squads. USF nabbed victories at the top four spots, dropping its only point in the No. 5 position. In the second match from Santa Cruz, USF earned the 3-2 victory over the Mustangs. The squad jumped out to the 3-0 lead over Cal Poly before succumbing to the Mustangs from the Nos. 1 and 5 spots.

In the finale, Santa Clara edged the Dons 3-2, as the Broncos avenged its March 12 loss to USF by the same score. The difference from the first meeting of the season came from the No. 3 position, as Sarah Vaccaro and Karina Inch managed to defeat USF's Courtney Sabahi and Emily Reed, 21-18, 21-11. The final point of the day came down to USF's No. 1 duo of Oluoma Okaro and Sara Staengle. After taking the first set by a score of 21-17, Santa Clara's Sabrina Clayton and Kirsten Mead evened the score with the second-set win. The Broncos top pair battled to earn the 16-14 win in the third to earn the team victory for USF's South Bay foe.

All four teams at the invitational had an opportunity to play three matches, with Santa Clara earning three wins on the day and CSUN notching one victory from the sand.

Next up for the Dons, USF travels to Bakersfield to take on the Roadrunners on Thursday at 5 p.m.
 

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No. 13 San Francisco 4, CSUN 1
No. 1 – Oluoma Okaro/Sara Staengle (USF) def. Julie Haake/Maddie Leiphardt (CSUN); 21-16, 21-17
No. 2 – Katarina Pilepic/Jurja Vlasic (USF) def. Lauren Conati/Katie Sato (CSUN); 21-16, 16-21, 15-11
No. 3 – Emily Reed/Courtney Sabahi (USF) def. Rachel Gam/Kristey Markle (CSUN); 16-21, 21-19, 15-5
No. 4 – Jessica Gaffney/Kiara McKibben (USF) def. Nada Dragovic/Kamden Maas (CSUN); 21-10, 21-15
No. 5 – Aeryn Owens/Erin Indermill (CSUN) def. Jessica Keenan/Kim Gutierrez (USF); 22-20, 21-13
Exh. – Nicoletta Stork/Nicolette Pinkney (CSUN) def. Dane Miller/Kellie Hirotsu (USF); 21-11, 21-12
 
No. 13 San Francisco 3, Cal Poly 2
No. 1 – Van Winden/Nelson (CP) def. Okaro/Staengle (USF); 21-16, 19-21, 15-8
No. 2 – Pilepic/Vlasic (USF) def. Greisen/Gorman (CP); 21-12, 21-15
No. 3 – Reed/Sabahi (USF) def. Martin/Carroll (CP); 21-12, 21-19
No. 4 – Gaffney/McKibben (USF) def. Nieman/Roach (CP); 21-15, 21-17
No. 5 – Holehouse/Wayne (CP) def. Keenan/Gutierrez (USF); 21-13, 21-14
Exh. – McCool/Clewis (CP) def. Miller/Hirotsu (USF); 21-15, 21-13
 
Santa Clara 3, No. 13 San Francisco 2
No. 1 – Clayton/Mead (SCU) def. Okaro/Staengle (USF); 17-21, 21-17, 16-14
No. 2 – Pilepic/Vlasic (USF) def. Rottman/Hess (SCU); 21-18, 13-21, 16-14
No. 3 – Vaccaro/Inch (SCU) def. Reed/Sabahi (USF); 21-18, 21-11
No. 4 – Gaffney/McKibben (USF) def. Maas/Cunningham (SCU); 21-6, 21-19
No. 5 – Dutra/Shepherd (SCU) def. Keenan/Gutierrez (USF); 21-19, 21-13
Exh. – Santa Clara #6 def. Miller/Hirotsu (USF); 21-14, 26-24