Beach Volleyball Earns Three Victories at the West Coast Challenge

Friday, March 27

Santa Cruz, Calif.

11:00 a.m.

University of San Francisco

Saint Mary's

Burkleigh Smith waiting for a serve at College of Marin 2026

Beach Volleyball Earns Three Victories at the West Coast Challenge

3/28/2026 6:36:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The University of San Francisco beach volleyball team (9-12) earned three victories at the West Coast Challenge on Friday and Saturday at Main Beach.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Following a loss to Saint Mary's to open the tournament, San Francisco rattled off three straight wins, with a win over Portland and two wins over Pacific.
Jia Lonardi and Rainie Stevens paced the Dons with three victories at the third doubles flight. The duo dominated in their wins and defeated all three opponents in straight sets.
Mahlia Priestley and Burkleigh Smith closed the tournament with two victories at the fourth doubles flight, defeating Portland's Nyah Mitchell and Elizabeth Ortiz, and Pacific's Charlotte Gibson and Sam Holley. In the win over the Pilots, Priestley and Smith battled and earned a 21-19, 15-21, 15-6 three-set victory.

RESULTS VS. SAINT MARY'S (L, 5-0):

1. Hannah Couch/Genevieve Bane (SMC) def. Rylie Reeves/Branson Lennon (USF) 24-22, 21-18
2. Angelina Bour/Clarissa Klein (SMC) def. Kaydence Stormes/Rainie Stevens (USF) 21-18, 21-14
3. Annah Legaspi/Alisia Silverthorn (SMC) def. McKenna Towne/Jia Lonardi (USF) 21-18, 20-22, 15-10
4. Bella Reyes/Isla Johnson (SMC) def. Mahlia Priestley/Burkleigh Smith (USF) 21-12, 21-8
5. Barett Nolan/Hannah Glick (SMC) def. Scarlett McClung/Nadia M. Ceriello (USF) 21-14, 21-15

RESULTS VS. PACIFIC (W, 3-2):

1. Rylie Reeves/Branson Lennon (USF) def. Valentina Varani/Jayhlin Swain (PAC) 21-8, 21-13
2. Rainie Stevens/Jia Lonardi (USF) def. Makayla Beckett/Joelyn Abougoush (PAC) 21-14, 21-10
3. Kaydence Stormes/McKenna Towne (USF) def. Sam Holley/Abby Miller (PAC) 21-5, 21-15
4. Charlotte Gibson/Kelea Saxton Vaka (PAC) def. Mahlia Priestley/Burkleigh Smith (USF) 21-18, 19-21, 15-9
5. Josephine Kinlan/Zara Crawford (PAC) def. Scarlett McClung/Makenzie Holden (USF) 21-17, 21-18

RESULTS VS. PORTLAND (W, 4-1):

1. Leonie Freytag/Elin Larsson (POR) def. Branson Lennon/Rylie Reeves (USF) 21-19, 21-15
2. Jia Lonardi/Rainie Stevens (USF) def. Sarah Incitti/Tate Mercer (POR) 21-16, 21-10
3. McKenna Towne/Kaydence Stormes (USF) def. Valerie Bruk/Michela Strati (POR) 21-11, 21-9
4. Mahlia Priestley/Burkleigh Smith (USF) def. Nyah Mitchell/Elizabeth Ortiz (POR) 21-19, 15-21, 15-6
5. Nadia M. Ceriello/Scarlett McClung (USF) def. Josie Povey/Greta Kesmodel (POR) 22-20, 21-11

RESULTS VS. PACIFIC (W, 4-1):

1. Branson Lennon/Rylie Reeves (USF) def. Jayhlin Swain/Valentina Varani (PAC) 21-8, 21-16
2. Jia Lonardi/Rainie Stevens (USF) def. Makayla Beckett/Joelyn Abougoush (PAC) 21-10, 21-15
3. McKenna Towne/Kaydence Stormes (USF) def. Kelea Saxton Vaka/Abby Miller (PAC) 21-14, 12-21, 15-9
4. Mahlia Priestley/Burkleigh Smith (USF) def. Charlotte Gibson/Sam Holley (PAC) 21-17, 21-19
5. Josephine Kinlan/Zara Crawford (PAC) def. Scarlett McClung/Makenzie Holden (USF) 19-21, 21-11, 15-7

UP NEXT:
San Francisco returns to action when it hosts Concordia Irvine and Pacific on Saturday, Apr. 4, at the College of Marin.

FOLLOW US:
For updates and more information on the San Francisco beach volleyball team, follow the Dons on Instagram @USFDonsBeach.

MERCHANDISE:
Want to dress like the Dons? Get your official San Francisco Dons gear from the University of San Francisco bookstore today! Click here to purchase.

SPONSOR THE DONS:
The University of San Francisco Athletics Department would like to acknowledge and thank our sponsor – Provident Credit Union - for their continued support of USF Athletics. Interested in sponsoring the Dons? Please contact Frank Allocco, the Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director of External Relations, at fallocco@usfca.edu or at (415) 422-4561.