Loyola Marymount (29-6) dropped only one match on its way to its second consecutive WCC title. The Lions defeated Pacific (5-0), and Pepperdine twice (4-1 and 3-0) to capture the championship and extend their nine-match win streak.
“I’m proud of this team for all the hard work and growth they made this season,” coach John Mayer said. “It’s challenging to win a championship and this team went out and battled for it these past two days and this whole year. I’m especially excited for our five seniors who lost their season last year due to COVID and came back this year on a mission.”
The WCC final results: 1. LMU, 2. Pepperdine, 3. St. Mary’s, 4. Pacific 5. San Francisco, 6. (tie) Santa Clara, 6. (tie) Portland.
Loyola will participate in the NCAA College beach championships May 7-9 in Gulf Shores, the program’s first appearance. The Lions are seeded fifth.
Mayer received his second consecutive WCC Coach of the Year award Tuesday. Jessie Prichard and Savannah Slattery received 2021 WCC Pair of the Year award after a 26-3 record at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots.
WCC Defensive Player of the year went to Emma Doud, and her partner Madi Firnett received Freshman of the Year honors.
Six Lions received first-team All-WCC beach honors: Iya Lindahl, Selina Marolf, Reka Orsi Toth, Prichard, Megn Rice, and Slattery.
Doud, Darby Dunn and Firnett were named to the All-WCC beach second team.
Jacinda Ramirez and Firnett received WCC All-Freshman honors.
The Lions will take on No. 4 LSU at 9 a.m. CT, streaming info for the championships can be found on our TV and streaming listings.
Enjoy Mark Rigney’s photos:
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- Pepperdine’s Peyton Lewis digs a shot vs LMU/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Peyton Lewis/Mark Rigney photo
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- Georgia Fusco lays out for a scoop vs LMU/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Alexis Filippone knuckles over Loyola’s Megan Rice/Mark Rigney photo
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- Loyola’s Iya Lindahl/Mark Rigney photo
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- LMU’s Iya Lindahl cuts it past Alexis Filippone of Pepperdine/Mark Rigney photo
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- St. Mary’s Jennifer Laird blocks a tight set/Mark Rigney photo
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- Chandler Cowell of St Marys keeps the point alive/Mark Rigney photo
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- St. Mary’s Chandler Cowell acknowledges her teammate/Mark Rigney photo
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- Gabby Leo of Pacific/Mark Rigney photo
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- Junior Chandler Cowell of SMC/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Alexis Filippone/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Brook Bauer, who is now Florida State’s Brook Bauer/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Gracie Pedersen celebrates a monster block.
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- Gracie Pedersen battles LMU in the finals.
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- LMU’s Emma Doud lays out to keep the point alive/Mark Rigney photo
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- LMU’s Emma Doud/Mark Rigney photo
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- Emma Doud and Madi Firnett secure the win in the WCC finals, 21-19 22-20/Mark Rigney photo
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- Pepperdine’s Mary Sinclair celebrates/Mark Rigney photo
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- LMU’s Reka Orsi Toth goes horizontal for a dig/Mark Rigney photo
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- LMU’s Megan Rice celebrates in the championship clinching match.
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- Loyola Marymount wins back-to-back WCC championships in 2019 and 2021/Mark Rigney photo
