UCLA Beach Volleyball: Bruins Are Two Wins From an NCAA Title Today

Yesterday, the Bruins did what they had to do. They beat both LSU and Southern Cal to keep their championship hopes alive.

Meanwhile, in the winner’s bracket, Florida State defeated Hawai’i, 3-2. The win advances the Seminoles to the Championship Game. Hawai’i, on the other hand, now has to play UCLA. The winner of that game will advance to face Florida State.

The good news is that, if the Bruins do defeat Hawai’i, they only have to beat Florida State once as the Championship Dual is the only dual in the tournament that is single-elimination, rather than double-elimination.

It’s also fitting that UCLA will have to beat both Hawai’i and Florida State to win the title because they are two of the four teams that the Bruins have lost to this season. Southern Cal was another one and, of course, they beat them yesterday to advance to this morning’s game. The only team UCLA lost to that they will not have had to beat in this year’s tournament is Pepperdine, but only because the Trojans eliminated Pepperdine before UCLA could play the Waves.

Hawai’i got to this morning’s match by South Carolina, 3-0, and Pepperdine, 3-2, on Friday. They lost their only dual yesterday to Florida State, 3-2.

The only advantage that Florida State has by winning each of their duals so far is that they get to rest, rather than playing in the earlier game. Personally, I like the Bruins’ chances today and I think that playing the dual against Hawai’i will allow UCLA to go into the Championship Dual warmed up rather than it being their only dual of the day.

If the Bruins play today like they did yesterday, I think there’s a high likelihood that they will be coming home to LA with a new trophy.

This is your NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship Sunday open thread.


Go Bruins!!! Bring home NC #116!!