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Three Finish with Hat Tricks in No. 22 Water Polo’s 14-13 Win in GCC Quarterfinals

LOS ANGELES – Three members of the No. 22-ranked and 4-seed San Diego State water polo team, Sammi Byers, Julianne Stark and Mimi Stoupas, each scored three times to lead the Aztecs to a 14-13 win over 5-seed California Baptist in a quarterfinal round game of the 2025 Golden Coast Conference (GCC) on Friday afternoon […]

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LOS ANGELES – Three members of the No. 22-ranked and 4-seed San Diego State water polo team, Sammi Byers, Julianne Stark and Mimi Stoupas, each scored three times to lead the Aztecs to a 14-13 win over 5-seed California Baptist in a quarterfinal round game of the 2025 Golden Coast Conference (GCC) on Friday afternoon at Burns Aquatic Center.

In addition to the hat tricks from Byers, Stark and Stoupas, SDSU got individual goals from Amanda Chambers, Megan Holcomb, Rose Kanemy, Sofia Righetti, and Claudia Valdes.

In the cage, Tiaare Ahovelo (9-9) played the first half, made five saves against eight goals allowed and assisted on a career-high three goals in earning the win. Ava Ratajczak, in the second 16 minutes, surrendered five goals, totaled three saves and had two steals.

With the victory, the Aztecs move to 15-13 on the year and have secured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 2014 and 2015 campaigns.

As the 4-seed, San Diego State moves to 4-4 in the event and 6-0 in quarterfinal games in the GCC Tournament. In addition, the Scarlet and Black are 4-0 against CBU in the event, which includes a 3-0 mark in the quarterfinal games.

The Lancers (12-15) secured the game’s initial goal at the 7:05 mark and just under two minutes later, with 5:07 on the clock, Byers tied it with Ahovelo’s first assist. It took 20 seconds for CBU to get the lead back. Then at 3:24, Byers set up Stoupas on a powerplay to even the score, 2-2. California Baptist moved back in front, 3-2, with 3:03 to play in the period, but back-to-back goals scored by the Aztecs made it 4-3 SDSU. The first strike came off a Chambers shot with Kanemy being credited with the assist at 1:35 and then, 24 seconds later, it was Righetti, assisted by Valdes, which gave SDSU its first lead, 4-3.

CBU tied it at 4-4 with 59 seconds to go and then went ahead on a powerplay goal with 13 seconds to play. But, with just two ticks on the clock, Byers scored her second of the day, assisted by Holcomb, to send the game to the second quarter tied 5-5.

At 7:05 of the second, the opening goal of the period gave Byers a hat trick, her second in as many games and fifth of the campaign, with Kanemy picking up her second assist. Kanemy then got into the goal scoring column with her first strike of the game, a powerplay score at 5:43 to make it 7-5 in favor of the Aztecs. Valdes was credited with her second assist of the game on the score. The Lancers trimmed the SDSU advantage to 7-6 with 4:10 to play until the half, but Stoupas, 47 seconds later got the goal back, assisted by Righetti, and Stark made it a three-goal lead, 9-6, on her first of the day, at the 2:57 mark, with Ahovelo getting her second assist of the game. Then 30 seconds after Stark scored, she and Ahovelo did it again to make it 10-6. CBU took a timeout and proceeded to score with 1:40 to go to make it 10-7, which was the score at the intermission.

Coming out of the break, the Aztecs put California Baptist in a powerplay, and the Lancers took advantage, scoring 35 seconds in, to make it a two-goal game, but on a Lucy Bullock assist at 7:11, Valdes put the margin at three goals again, 11-8. CBU made it 11-9 with a powerplay goal at the 4:22 mark. Holcomb then pushed the lead back to three, 12-9, and Byers picked up the assist with 2:23 on the clock, but the Lancers responded with 1:48 to go to make it 12-10, the score which the teams took into the final period.

It took nearly three minutes to get any scoring in the fourth quarter. California Baptist scored at 5:11 to make it 12-11, and 15 seconds later, on a Righetti assist, Stoupas got her hat trick to make it 13-11. It only took 16 seconds for the Lancers to score and then another 16 for Stark to get her hat trick for a 14-12 score with 4:24 to play.

CBU made it a one-goal game, 14-13 with a tally at 3:53, but neither team was able to score again and SDSU advanced to the semifinal round to play 1-seed Loyola Marymount on Saturday, April 26, at 4 p.m. (PT).

California Baptist: 5-2-3-3 – 13
San Diego State: 5-5-2-2 – 14

California Baptist Goals: Byers (3), Stark (3), Stoupas (3), Chambers, Holcomb, Kanemy, Righetti, Valdes
San Diego State Goals: Almendariz (5), Kahahawai (2), Moreno (2), Ruffer (2), Beringer, Carter,

California Baptist Saves: Urry (9)
San Diego State Saves: Ahovelo (5), Ratajczak (3)

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TCU to Open 2025 Season at College Volleyball Showcase

Story Links PITTSBURGH – TCU volleyball will open its 2025 season at the College Volleyball Showcase at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., over Labor Day weekend. The Horned Frogs are set to take on defending national champion Penn State and Pitt in the four-match event along with Arizona State.   Launched […]

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PITTSBURGH – TCU volleyball will open its 2025 season at the College Volleyball Showcase at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., over Labor Day weekend. The Horned Frogs are set to take on defending national champion Penn State and Pitt in the four-match event along with Arizona State.
 
Launched in 2024 with a similar group of elite programs – Minnesota, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin – the State Farm Women’s College Volleyball Showcase will once again shine a spotlight on the new college volleyball season with must-see nationally televised contests.
 
Taking place at PPG Paints Arena, the four teams will compete on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. All four matches will be broadcast on national TV across the Fox platforms. Match times and television designations will be announced at a later date.
 
TCU finished the 2024 season with a 22-8 record, advancing to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Frogs recorded their first 20-win season since 2011 and were ranked in the AVCA poll for the first time in program history held strong in the rankings for 14 straight weeks, ending the season at No. 25.
 
Last season, Penn State staked its claim as the nation’s top team after winning its eighth national championship in program history. The Nittany Lions won 35 matches and the Big Ten Conference title. Pitt made its fourth-straight Final Four appearance last year. The ACC Champions posted a 33-2 record overall, led by AVCA National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock. Arizona State won the Big 12 title and earned its way into the second round of the NCAA Tournament, rounding out a stacked field.
 
Fans interested in learning more about the event and gaining early access to a 24-hour ticket presale opportunity, which will take place on May 20, can access the general event page on the PPG Paints Arena website. The general public ticket sale will begin May 21.
 
For all the latest TCU volleyball news, follow the Frogs on Twitter at @TCUVolleyball, on Instagram at @tcuvolleyball and on Facebook at TCU Volleyball.
 
 





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Announcement on Beach Volleyball Leadership

Story Links HONOLULU – University of Hawai’i beach volleyball coach Evan Silberstein will not return as head coach, Acting Athletics Director Lois Manin announced. Silberstein’s contract ends on May 31, 2025 and will not be renewed.   “We have decided to move in a different direction with our beach volleyball program,” Manin […]

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HONOLULU – University of Hawai’i beach volleyball coach Evan Silberstein will not return as head coach, Acting Athletics Director Lois Manin announced. Silberstein’s contract ends on May 31, 2025 and will not be renewed.
 
“We have decided to move in a different direction with our beach volleyball program,” Manin said. “We appreciate everything Evan has given to this program as both an assistant and head coach and we wish him well.”
 
Silberstein spent 11 years with the program including the last four as head coach, compiling an 89-59 record.
 
Women’s Volleyball Assistant Coach Nick Castello will serve as interim head coach until a new head coach is hired.
 

#HawaiiBVB



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Pitt, Penn State to play in women’s college volleyball showcase at PPG Paints Arena

The Pitt and Penn State women’s volleyball programs, two of the best in the college game, will be part of four-team showcase event Labor Day weekend at PPG Paints Arena. Four contested matches will kick off the college volleyball season Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The defending NCAA champion Nittany Lions and semifinalist Panthers will […]

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The Pitt and Penn State women’s volleyball programs, two of the best in the college game, will be part of four-team showcase event Labor Day weekend at PPG Paints Arena.

Four contested matches will kick off the college volleyball season Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

The defending NCAA champion Nittany Lions and semifinalist Panthers will headline the event but will not play each other. Both teams will play Arizona State and TCU.

Penn State captured its eighth national title last fall, while the Panthers made a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Final Four. Arizona State and TCU both advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The State Farm Women’s College Volleyball Showcase launched last year with matches between Minnesota, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin, drawing more than 22,000 fans to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.

Match times and television designations are still to be determined.

A ticket presale will be held May 20, and tickets for the general public will go on sale May 21.

Visit the PPG Paints Arena website for tickets and more information.



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LOCAL ROUNDUP: Flagstaff beach volleyball falls in D-II State Championship semifinals | Local News

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Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play

Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025 1 of 7 Crook County’s Caleb Decker, left, tries to block a spike from Summit’s Anand Groves, during the Summit-Crook County volleyball match at Summit High in Bend Monday afternoon. 4-28-25 Andy Tullis/The Bulletin Summit’s 3Edward Archer, left, bumps the […]

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Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play

Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025

One of the main differences between the first and second year of high school boys volleyball in Oregon is in the eyes of Summit’s Gavin White.

White can’t remember a single set during the high school season a year ago en route to a state title where the matches were competitive. This year, the competition level, he feels, has been raised.

“We haven’t had many close games except for this year,” said White, a junior setter. “I think it is good to see some better teams that are going to put up a fight.”

Monday evening two of the three Central Oregon boys volleyball teams squared off at Summit High. Summit rolled past Crook County in straight sets (25-8, 25-13, 26-24). The Storm have won eight of nine matches this spring, and have won 22 of the possible 26 sets.

But against the Cowboys, despite winning handily in the first two sets, the Storm found themselves in unfamiliar territory in the third set. They were in a major hole and needed to dig their way out to avoid dropping the set.

“They are working on meshing together as a team and keeping that excitement up,” said Crook County coach Mallory Hall of her team. “Because when they do, they play great.”

Crook County built a 13-5 lead midway through the set and had the set tied at 24 before the Storm were ultimately able to pull away. Being on the ropes, even for a set, isn’t something Summit was used to.

“We don’t have a lot of these situations in school volleyball,” said Summit sophomore Aiden Woods. “But we do in club volleyball.”

With boys volleyball being such a new sport at the high school level – the second year of its trial run as an “emerging activity” with the chance to be a fully-sanctioned sport by the Oregon Schools Activities Association next year – there is a high variance of skill level.

But perhaps it is to be expected with so many schools and the majority of the athletes giving the sport a try for the first time. Some teams have a core of players who play volleyball for a club, while others are starting from scratch trying to build and introduce a new sport.

That is the case for Crook County. When the program started a year ago, only one of its players had played volleyball competitively.

“The difference in skill for each player has been amazing,” Hall said. “Just seeing them come back from last year and realized where we started last year and seeing how well they have honed their skills has been really great to see as a coach.”

The Cowboy have put together a quality season, winning five of their eight matches with two of their losses coming to Summit.

There are four games remaining in the regular season and the Cowboys are hoping to get better in time for the eight-team Class 4A culminating event in late May.

“We are just hoping that they can continue to improve,” Hall said. “We don’t want them to plateau. We are going to keep practicing. I’m just hoping that they are able to make the improvements that they are hoping for.”

Brian Rathbone has been the sports reporter for the Bulletin since 2019. He likes playing basketball, running and spending time with his dog, Rodger.

He can be reached at 541-668-7538, brian.rathbone@bendbulletin.com, or on X/IG @ByBrianRathbone

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West Coast Conference Announces 2025 Beach Volleyball Awards

Story Links SAN BRUNO, Calif. – LMU won its sixth straight West Coast Conference Championship last Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., and the Lions nearly pulled off a clean sweep of the 2025 West Coast Conference all-conference and major awards, as announced by the Conference on Wednesday. LMU’s major awards include John […]

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SAN BRUNO, Calif. – LMU won its sixth straight West Coast Conference Championship last Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., and the Lions nearly pulled off a clean sweep of the 2025 West Coast Conference all-conference and major awards, as announced by the Conference on Wednesday.

LMU’s major awards include John Mayer winning Coach of the Year, Chloe Hooker winning Defensive Player of the Year, and the Pair of the Year went to Isabelle Reffel and Magdalena Rabitsch. LMU’s Tanon Rosenthal was named Co-Freshman of the Year with Pepperdine’s Emma Eden. 

All-conference honors and major individual awards were selected solely by the seven conference head coaches. 

 

Reffel and Rabitsch finished the 2025 campaign with an overall record of 35-4. Playing primarily on the No. 4 court, the tandem went 32-4 there and 3-0 on the third court. Going back to April 11, the pair is enjoying a 10-match winning streak, including three wins in last week’s West Coast Conference Tournament. Reffel and Rabitsch own three wins over UCLA this season and wins over Stanford and USC, as well. Reffel and Rabitsch won West Coast Conference Pair of the Week two times this season. 

 

Mayer collected his sixth straight West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honor after leading the Lions back into the NCAA Championship as a No. 4 seed. LMU concluded the regular season with a record of 35-6, and Mayer’s Lions enter the NCAA Tournament riding a seven-match winning streak. LMU boasts multiple wins over the top-ranked teams in the country according to the AVCA national polls including No. 1 TCU and No. 3 UCLA.  

The 2023 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, Hooker adds another Conference major award to her resume. Compiling a record of 28-10 on the courts this season, Hooker primarily teamed with Vilhelmiina Prihti on either the No. 1 or No. 2 court. She and Prihti garnered a win on April 11 over No. 1 TCU. Hooker also played on LMU’s second court with Jaeya Brach and Anna Pelloia. Hooker and Pelloia boasted Conference Pair of the Week accolades once in 2025. Hooker becomes the fifth straight Lion to claim this award. 

Rosenthal is the third Lion to capture West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year accolades, and the first since Hooker in 2023. Rosenthal boasted Conference Pair of the Week recognition three times this season, the most among the Lions who won all but one of the conference weekly awards this season. She totaled a record of 33-5 this season, playing primarily on the No. 5 court with Giuliana Poletti-Corrales. They will head to the NCAA Tournament having won their last eight matches in a row. 

 

Eden compiled an overall record of 25-8 this season. She competed primarily on the No. 3 court with Ella Foti, notching a record of 23-7 with her between the No. 2 and No. 3 courts. She also went 2-1 with Madison Oriskovich on the No. 2 court. Eden becomes the fourth Wave to win Freshman of the Year. Kaydon Myers won the award last season, while McKenna Thomas earned a share of the award in 2022 and Brook Bauer won it in 2018. 

The Lions and Pepperdine comprised the entire all-conference first team with seven Lions and three Waves being named to the all-conference first team. Three more Lions made the all-conference second team with Santa Clara matching that total on the second team, while Saint Mary’s picked up a pair of second-team selections. 

 

Pepperdine’s Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas earned first-team accolades for the third straight season. Hooker garnered all-conference recognition for the third straight season, and she made her second appearance on the all-conference first team after also being named to that team as a freshman in 2023. Michelle Shaffer garnered first-team recognition for the third time, second time at LMU, after also being an honoree in 2022 with Santa Clara. Pelloia garnered first-team recognition for the second straight season. 

2025 WCC Coach of the Year             

John Mayer, LMU      

           

2025 WCC Pair of the Year                

Isabelle Reffel and Magdalena Rabitsch, LMU           

           

2025 WCC Defensive Player of the Year                    

Chloe Hooker, LMU              

 

2025 WCC Co-Freshmen of the Year             

Emma Eden, Pepperdine     

Tanon Rosenthal, LMU             

 

2025 All-WCC Beach Volleyball First Team               

Kate Clermont, Pepperdine

Emma Eden, Pepperdine

Chloe Hooker, LMU

Lisa Luini, LMU

Anna Pelloia, LMU

Isabelle Reffel, LMU

Tanon Rosenthal, LMU

Michelle Shaffer, LMU

McKenna Thomas, Pepperdine

Abbey Thorup, LMU

 

2025 All-WCC Beach Volleyball Second Team                       

Allie Cataldo, Saint Mary’s

Hannah Couch, Saint Mary’s

Giuliana Poletti-Corrales, LMU

Vilhelmiina Prihti, LMU

Magdalena Rabitsch, LMU

Sadie Snipes, Santa Clara

Ava Stoddard, Santa Clara

Alexandra Urbina, Santa Clara

 

2025 All-WCC Beach Volleyball All-Freshman Team                  

Ciara Cantlen, Santa Clara

Kawena Chillingworth, Santa Clara

Emma Eden, Pepperdine

Caroline Loughran, Santa Clara

Tanon Rosenthal, LMU

Burkleigh Smith, San Francisco

Sadie Snipes, Santa Clara

 



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