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UCLA Women's Beach Volleyball Loses National Title to Worst Opponent Possible

A crushing loss for the Blue and Gold.

Eva Geitheim

May 5, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General overall view of an inflatable volleyball.
May 5, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General overall view of an inflatable volleyball. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For the second straight season, the UCLA women's beach volleyball team fell just short of winning another national championship, but lost to rival USC. This is the second consecutive year in which the Bruins have been the runner-ups to USC, and the third time in the last four years.

As painful as it is for the Bruins since USC is their biggest rival, the Trojans have simply been dominant. Since the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament began in 2016, USC has won in six out of eight years. UCLA has won the other two championships in 2018 and 2019, but have seemingly become the perpetual runner-up over the last four years while USC achieved the four-peat.

The 37-5 Trojans defeated the 35-7 Bruins 3-0 in the championship game. UCLA defeated Cal in the quarterfinals and LSU in the semifinals to make it to the title game in Gulf Shores, Alabama. For the second year in a row, USC's Audrey and Nicole Nourse clinched the championship point the seal the title, this time doing so by defeating UCLA's Jessie Smith and Kenzie Bower.

The lone silver lining for the Bruins was one of their duos made the All Tournament Team in Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowski.

Here are some of UCLA's best highlights from the tournament:

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Eva Geitheim

EVA GEITHEIM

Eva graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Communication. She has been covering college and professional sports since 2022.