MANHATTAN BEACH – The No. 10 California beach volleyball team outlasted more stiff competition Friday, defeating No. 12 LSU 3-2 and No. 8 Arizona State 4-1 on the first day of the East Meets West Invitational at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

The Golden Bears (10-5), who have faced 11 ranked opponents through their first 15 duals this season, lost both matches of the first flight against the Tigers before coming back to win the final three. Cal needed three sets to win on both Court 3 and Court 5 to pull out the victory.

Cal and Arizona State split the first two matches before the Bears' top pair of Emma Donley and Portia Sherman won in straight sets to push the Bears into the lead. Cal's No. 3 and No. 5 pairs once again got pushed to three sets and it was Mila Vugrincic and Jenna Colligan notching a 20-22, 21-14, 15-13 victory to clinch the dual.

Donley and Sherman had a dominant day, winning both of their matches in straight sets. Their 21-14, 21-10 win over ASU's Ava Kirunchyk and Samaya Morin was especially impressive – Donley and Sherman are the fifth-ranked pair in the country according to TruVolley, while Kirunchyk and Morin are No. 10.

Cal closes out play in the East Meets West Invitational on Saturday with matchups against FIU and No. 5 Texas.

 
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Cal beach volleyball, follow the Bears on Instagram (@calbeachvb) and X (@calbeachvb).
 
 
No. 10 California 3, No. 12 LSU 2
No. 1: Emma Donley/Portia Sherman (Cal) def. Julia Sprecher/Kenzey McGatlin, 21-18, 21-17
No. 2: Skylar Martin/Tatum Finlason (LSU) def. Grace Hong/Marilu Pally, 21-18, 22-20
No. 3: Gia Fisher/Ava Haughy (Cal) def. Emily Hellmuth/Bella Lagemann, 21-19, 19-21, 15-11
No. 4: Camryn Chatellier/Aubrey O'Gorman (LSU) def. Elle Evers/Mila Yarich, 21-12, 21-17
No. 5: Mila Vugrincic/Jenna Colligan (Cal) def. Kate Baker/Zayna Meyer, 21-18, 21-23, 15-12
 
No. 10 California 4, No. 8 Arizona State 1
No. 1: Emma Donley/Portia Sherman (Cal) def. Ava Kirunchyk/Samaya Morin, 21-14, 21-10
No. 2: Grace Hong/Marilu Pally (Cal) def. Reagan Hope/Daniella Kensinger, 22-20, 22-20
No. 3: Gia Fisher/Ava Haughy (Cal) def. Zoe Taylor/Arden Besecker, 21-19, 15-21, 15-12
No. 4: McKenna Flaherty/Kristin Gilmour (ASU) def. Elle Evers/Giselle Lau, 21-18, 21-18
No. 5: Mila Vugrincic/Jenna Colligan (Cal) def. Kendall Whitmarsh/Olivia McElroy, 20-22, 21-14, 15-13