Charlie Wiltsee

1 week ago | mustangnews.net | Charlie Wiltsee

For a second straight year, Cal Poly Beach Volleyball made a surprise push to the NCAA Championship semifinals, but fell just short of the title match on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The No. 6 seed Mustangs lost to No. 2 seed TCU in the semifinal round 3-1, on Saturday, May 3. The defeat ended a strong tournament run for Cal Poly, who beat No. 11 seed LSU in the opening round before upsetting No. 3 seed Stanford in the quarterfinals earlier in the day Saturday.

1 week ago | mustangnews.net | Charlie Wiltsee

Even in the unfriendly visiting environment of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Cal Poly Beach Volleyball looked right at home on day one of the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships. The 32-team member cheering section couldn’t be missed on the ESPN 2 broadcast, and Cal Poly looked like a legitimate title contender on the sand, knocking out No. 11 seed LSU with ease in a 3-0 sweep on Friday, May 2.

1 week ago | mustangnews.net | Charlie Wiltsee

In the first match of her final NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship run, graduate student Lindsey Sparks made two diving saves to keep their second set alive, setting up her partner sophomore Quinn Perry for a hit back onto LSU’s side for the winning point. The play sealed the win for the No. 3 duo, and a 3-0 sweep for the No. 6 seed Mustangs against No. 11 seed LSU in their first round matchup in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

1 week ago | mustangnews.net | Charlie Wiltsee |Ty Soria

Lindsey Sparks sat on the side of UCLA’s beach volleyball courts for two and a half hours each day, unable to participate in practice yet required to attend every one. Sparks was not far removed from becoming an NCAA Beach Volleyball champion, having played a pivotal role in the Bruins’ title-winning run as a freshman in 2019. As a member of the fifth pairing Sparks had secured one of the three wins needed in the championship match, and was named to the 2019 NCAA All-Tournament Team.

1 week ago | mustangnews.net | Charlie Wiltsee

One day before the Cal Poly Beach Volleyball team was set to leave for the NCAA Championships, the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Cal Poly’s campus sat empty. The team could instead be found over 13 miles away, getting their final practice in on the public courts of Avila Beach on the coast of San Luis Obispo County. The 32-person roster will be making the trip to Gulf Shores, Ala. as the No. 6 seed, with their attention set on a round one matchup against No. 11-seeded LSU on Friday, May 2.