UCLA
Mustangs Split First Two Matches of 2025 Season Against Pair of Top 10 Teams
2/28/2025 5:57:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
LOS ANGELES — The sixth ranked Cal Poly beach volleyball team dove head first into the 2025 season Friday, playing its first two matches of the season against top 10 teams in No. 1 UCLA and No. 8 Long Beach State. The No. 6 Mustangs started the day falling to the No. 1 Bruins 4-1 before bouncing back with a 3-2 victory over No. 8 LBSU.
Cal Poly’s No. 2 pair of junior Izzy Martinez and sophomore Logan Walter went a perfect 2-0 together on the day to highlight the Mustangs.
In the opening match of the season against No. 1 UCLA, the No. 6 Mustangs played the Bruins tough with three of the five matches going three sets. Cal Poly got off to a strong start with the No. 2 pair of Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter winning their match first 21-15, 16-21, 15-13.
At the No. 4 spot, the pair of redshirt junior Ella Connor and sophomore Katie Clevenger came back after dropping the first set 21-16 to win the second 24-22 and force a third. They came up short in the third, dropping it 15-9.
UCLA then picked up straight set wins at the No. 5 and No. 3 spots to officially clinch the duel victory. Cal Pol’s No. 1 pair of senior Piper Ferch and sophomore Erin Inskeep also went three sets but came up just short, falling 22-20, 15-21, 11-15.
Cal Poly bounced back quickly as they got right back on the sand to face No. 6 Long Beach State. The Mustangs wasted no time getting on the board as Ella Connor and Katie Clevenger won their match at the No. 4 spot in straight sets 24-22, 21-17.
Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter then won their match in straight sets at the No. 2 spot, 21-18, 21-10 to make it 2-0. Later, Madi Nichols and Quinn Perry clinched the victory for the Mustangs after winning their match at the No. 3 spot 21-19, 21-13.
Cal Poly will stay in Los Angeles Saturday, moving over to Loyola Marymount’s campus to take on Concordia University Irvine at 12 p.m. and No. 2 LMU at 2 p.m.
