GCU falls to Cal in 1st round, face Washington Thursday

Wednesday, April 23

Huntington Beach, Calif.

12:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Cal

Huntington Beach, Calif. April 23, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match against Cal, 3-1 during the MPSF Tournament in Huntington Beach, Calif. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

GCU falls to Cal in 1st round, face Washington Thursday

4/23/2025 7:21:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

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Top pair of Ferro, Piret take match in straight sets despite team loss

By: Nathan Peters

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — No. 13 Grand Canyon dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 9 California in the opening round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Beach Volleyball Championship on Wednesday at Spiker Beach.

The Golden Bears (26-7) clinched the dual with wins on Courts,2, 3 and 5 after GCU struck first behind a dominant performance from sophomore Adriana Ferro and freshman Ines Piret. The top pair for the Lopes rolled past California's Emma Donley and Portia Sherman, 21-14, 21-16, to open the match.

California answered with a tight 21-19, 21-19 victory at the No. 5 flight, followed by a comeback effort at the No. 2 spot as Gia Fisher and Sierra Caffo edged sophomore Becca Drake and junior Katie Keefe, 21-16, 21-19. The clincher came in a three-set battle on Court 3, where Ella Sears and Alexand Young-Gomez recovered from a first-set loss to top junior Jessica Drake and sophomore Rhea Kohl, 21-23, 21-12, 15-8.

Court 4's match between the GCU tandem of sophomore Karynn Garrow and senior Sophia Hladyniuk and Cal's Marilu Pally and Maile Somera was left unfinished with GCU leading 6-5 in the third set.

GCU (22-10) will now face sixth-seeded Washington, who lost to USC 3-0 before defeating Oregon 3-1 in the afternoon on Wednesday. The Lopes defeated the Huskies 3-2 on March 16 at Cal Poly. The winner of the 9:30 a.m. GCU-UW dual will take on the loser of UCLA-Cal at 2 p.m. Thursday.

Cal 3, GCU 1

Adriana Ferro/Ines Piret (GCU) def. Emma Donley/Portia Sherman (CAL) – 21-14, 21-16
Gia Fisher/Sierra Caffo (CAL) def. Becca Drake/Katie Keefe (GCU) – 21-16, 21-19
Ella Sears/Alexand Young-Gomez (CAL) def. Jessica Drake/Rhea Kohl (GCU) – 21-23, 21-12, 15-8
Marilu Pally/Maile Somera (CAL) vs. Karynn Garrow/Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) – 19-21, 21-18, 5-6 (unfinished)
Jenna Colligan/Ella Dreibholz (CAL) def. Madi Bogle/Mae Manthe (GCU) – 21-19, 21-19