Pepperdine Makes Waves at Beach Collegiate Challenge

B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 17, 2011) – The team of Kim Hill (Portland, Ore.) and Caitlin Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif.) won the gold division title and led Pepperdine to the team title on Saturday at the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge in Hermosa Beach, Calif.

Hill and Racich defeated their fellow Waves Emily Cook (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif.) in the gold division final, 21-15, 21-11.

“I am so happy to have won today,” Racich said. “I really love the beach game, and getting to represent Pepperdine on the sand is incredible.”

USC’s Geena Urango (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, Calif.) tied for third with fellow Trojans Katie Fuller (Olivenhain, Calif.) and Kendall Bateman (Manhattan Beach, Calif.).

Hill and Racich defeated Fuller and Bateman in the semifinals, 21-18, 21-16. Cook and Robinson beat Urango and Hagglund, 21-14, 21-17.

Pepperdine won the team trophy with 640 points. USC was second with 620 points and Long Beach State was third with 380 points.

“The level of play at the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge gets better every year,” said Ali Wood Lamberson, USAV director of beach programs. “There is a really strong rivalry brewing between USC and Pepperdine; a rivalry that promises to continue with the inaugural NCAA sand season next year.”

Mimi Cuttrell (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Kara Sherrard (Lancaster, Calif.) of UC Santa Barbara won the silver division title (10th overall), defeating USC’s Kirby Burnham (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Sam Hirschmann (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) in the final, 21-19, 21-16.

A “Best of the Beach” tournament was played among the four senior division players (those who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility) competing. Kari Pestolesi (Hunting Beach, Calif.) and Traci Weamer (Upland, Calif.) finished tied for points.

“I am pleased to see so many of our USAV Beach HP athletes excel here today,” said USAV Beach Coaching Coordinator Jon Aharoni. “Caitlin LeDoux (Phelan, Calif./Long Beach State), who is rehabbing a shoulder, made it to the silver division playing left handed. Many of these players, including Cook, Hagglund, Pestolesi and Weamer, are all veterans of our programs and it showed in their performance on the sand.”

An exhibition match between four-person teams from UC Irvine and Pepperdine resulted in a tie as each team won four sets.

For complete results, click here.

Tags: Ali Wood Lamberson, Beach, Beach Collegiate Challenge, Beach Volleyball, Jon Aharoni