Cal State LA women’s beach volleyball dropped its second match of the season on Saturday, falling 4-1 to host Vanguard at the Brookhurst and PCH Courts.
The Golden Eagles opened the dual with an early advantage, but were unable to sustain momentum as the match progressed.
Cal State LA struck first at the No. 2 pairs position, where Zuhal Cetin and Juliana Speiski defeated Thea Snider and Josephine Springer in straight sets, 21–19, 21–18, giving the Golden Eagles a 1–0 lead.
As the match continued, momentum shifted at the No. 4 pair’s spot.
Seriah Demski and Anaiya Cooper won the opening set before falling in a tightly contested three-set match against Jenae Moore and Anne Mayfield, 19–21, 21–10, 15–13, leveling the dual.
Head coach Alexis Crimes said the team’s adjustment to windy conditions for the first time this season played a role in the shift.
“This is their first time playing in the wind, and they weren’t really adjusting that well to it, so I think that’s the biggest thing I noticed,” Crimes said.
Crimes said the team played well early but struggled to adapt once the wind picked up.
Following that match, Cal State LA was unable to regain momentum.
At the No. 3 spot, Avalon Heintz and Havannah Vogel fell in straight sets, 21–8, 21–12.
Arielle Chandler and McKinley Chase also came up short at the No. 5 pairs position, dropping their match 21–13, 21–13.
The dual was decided at the No. 1 position, where Cal State LA’s Samarah DaCoud and Teegan Charapata fell in straight sets, 21–13, 21–14.
Cal State LA (0–2) continues to adjust early in the season, as several players transition from indoor volleyball to beach competition.
DaCoud said the team is focused on working through those challenges together and treating the season as a learning experience, focusing on mental growth and building chemistry with partners.
“Just getting through the hurdles, getting through the battles, I think that is huge,” DaCoud said.
Looking ahead to Friday’s matchups against The Master’s and Corban in Santa Clarita, Crimes said the team’s focus will be on mental toughness and continued growth.
“I think the biggest thing that we’re just going to focus on is just the mental resiliency, and just making sure we’re controlling our controllables,” Crimes said. “You can’t control wins or losses, but I think if we keep working on ourselves, this can be a good season for us.”
