Santa Clara Beach Volleyball Soars to 4-0 Start, Sweeps Pacific
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Santa Clara University beach volleyball team extended its undefeated season-opening run to a program-best 4-0, securing a 3-2 victory over San Francisco and a dominant 5-0 sweep of Pacific on Saturday at the Santa Clara Beach Volleyball Courts.
Broncos Reach Novel Heights
This marks the best start to a season in program history for Santa Clara, surpassing their previous best of 2-0 in 2022. The team began the 2016 season with a 7-1 record.
Match Recap: Santa Clara vs. San Francisco
- Avery Cukjati and Sadie Snipes secured a point at No. 1 against the Dons with a 22-20, 21-11 win.
- Ciara Cantlen and Noelle Niederman followed with a straight-set performance at No. 4, defeating their opponents 21-8, 21-15.
- Callie Loughran and Ava Stoddard clinched the dual at No. 5, topping their counterparts 21-12, 21-14.
- San Francisco claimed points at No. 2 and No. 3.
Match Recap: Santa Clara vs. Pacific
- Santa Clara secured its third sweep in four matches with a 5-0 victory over the Tigers.
- Cukjati and Snipes led the way at No. 1, defeating their opponents 21-18, 21-16.
- Teagan Wilson and Sammy Wood responded at No. 2 with a 23-21, 21-12 win.
- Reilly Rose Gilliland and Alexandra Urbina delivered a tight match at No. 3, winning 29-27, 21-12.
- Cantlen and Niederman added a 21-12, 21-16 victory at No. 4.
- Loughran and Stoddard capped the sweep at No. 5 with a 21-10, 21-7 win.
Looking Ahead
Santa Clara stays in the Bay Area next weekend for the Battle of The Bay, taking on San Francisco for a third time, as well as host Stanford on Saturday, then facing San Jose State again and Sacramento State in San Jose.
Score Summaries
Santa Clara 3, San Francisco 2
Santa Clara Beach Volleyball Courts – Santa Clara, Calif.
Feb. 21, 2026
Avery Cukjati
/Sadie Snipes
(SCU) def. McKenna Towne/Kaydence Stormes (USF) 2-0: 22-20, 21-11- Jia Lonardi/Rainie Stevens (USF) def.
Teagan Wilson
/Sammy Wood
(SCU) 2-0: 21-18, 22-20 - Branson Lennon/Rylie Reeves (USF) def.
Reilly Rose Gilliland
/Alexandra Urbina
(SCU) 2-0: 21-17, 21-19 Ciara Cantlen
/Noelle Niederman
(SCU) def. Lucy Speier/Jacquelyn Strawn (USF) 2-0: 21-8, 21-Callie Loughran
/Ava Stoddard
(SCU) def. Nadia Murray Ceriello/Burkleigh Smith (USF) 2-0: 21-12, 21-14
Santa Clara 5, Pacific 0
Santa Clara Beach Volleyball Courts – Santa Clara, Calif.
Feb. 21, 2026
- Cukjati/Snipes (SCU) def. Jocelyn Abougoush/Samantha Holley (PAC) 2-0: 21-18, 21-16
- Wilson/Wood (SCU) def. Abby Miller/Kelea Saxton Vaka (PAC) 2-0: 23-21, 21-12
- Gilliland/Urbina (SCU) def. Zara Crawford/Josephine Kinlan (PAC) 2-0: 29-27, 21-12
- Cantlen/Niederman (SCU) def. Makayla Beckett/Charlotte Gibson (PAC) 2-0: 21-12, 21-16
- Loughran/Stoddard (SCU) def. Jayhlin Swain/Francesca Zanotti (PAC) 2-0: 21-10, 21-7
The Broncos’ impressive start to the season demonstrates their commitment to success and positions them as a team to watch in the competitive landscape of collegiate beach volleyball.