SANTA MONICA, Calif. – The No. 7 seeded Portland Pilots competed in three duals on Thursday at the 2026 West Coast Conference Beach Volleyball Tournament at Ocean Park Beach, finishing the day 1-2 to close out the season.
 
Portland opened the tournament in Dual 3 with a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Pepperdine. The Waves picked up a forfeit at flight 1 and secured straight-set wins across the remaining flights to clinch the dual.
 
The Pilots bounced back in Dual 5, defeating No. 6 Pacific 4-1. Portland earned four points behind wins from Leonie Freytag and Elin Larsson at flight 1 in three sets, Tate Mercer and Sarah Incitti at flight 2, Michela Strati and Nyah Mitchell at flight 4, and Jeryn Hildenbrand and Josie Povey at flight 5.
 
Advancing to Dual 7 in Round 2, Portland fell to No. 5 San Francisco, 5-0. Two matches extended to three sets, including the top flight pairing of Freytag and Larsson and the No. 5 duo of Hildenbrand and Povey, but the Pilots were unable to secure a point.
 
Portland finishes the 2026 season with a 5-23 overall record.
 
2026 West Coast Conference Beach Volleyball Tournament
Santa Monica, Calif. (Ocean Park Beach)
Apr. 23rd - 24th, 2026
 
Thursday, Apr. 23
Pepperdine 5, Portland 0
1. Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani (PEP) def. Leonie Freytag and Elin Larsson (POR) by forfeit
2. Maddy Snow and Gabriella Perez (PEP) def. Tate Mercer and Sarah Incitti (POR) 21-10, 21-16
3. Alice Jagielska and Sonia Mancuso (PEP) def. Valerie Bruk and Elizabeth Ortiz (POR) 21-10, 21-16       
4. Ginevra Merlini and Emi Erickson (PEP) vs. Michela Strati and Nyah Mitchell (POR) 21-12, 21-16          
5. Emma Bubelis and Deanie Woodruff (PEP) def. Jeryn Hildenbrand and Josie Povey (POR) 21-13, 21-15
MATCH NOTES
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3, 4, 5
 
Portland 4, Pacific 1
1. Leonie Freytag and Elin Larsson (POR) def. Sophia Wirtzer and Joelyn Abougoush (PAC) 19-21, 21-15, 14-8
2. Tate Mercer and Sarah Incitti (POR) def. Makayla Beckett and Francesca Zanotti (PAC) 21-9, 22-20   
3. Abby Miller and Kelea Saxton Vaka (PAC) def. Valerie Bruk and Elizabeth Ortiz (POR) 21-17, 21-12       
4. Michela Strati and Nyah Mitchell (POR) def. Josephine Kinlan and Sam Holley (PAC) 21-17, 21-19    
5. Jeryn Hildenbrand and Josie Povey (POR) def. Zara Crawford and Charlotte Gibson (PAC) 21-17, 21-17        
MATCH NOTES
Order of finish: 2, 3, 5, 4, 1
 
San Francisco 5, Portland 0
1. McKenna Towne and Kaydence Stormes (USF) def. Leonie Freytag and Elin Larsson (POR) 14-21, 21-10, 15-17
2. Lucy Speier and Rainie Stevens (USF) def. Tate Mercer and Sarah Incitti (POR) 21-13, 21-18
3. Rylie Reeves and Branson Lennon (USF) def. Valerie Bruk and Elizabeth Ortiz (POR) 21-14, 22-20
4. Mahila Priestley and Burkleigh Smith (USF) def. Michela Strati and Nyah Mitchell (POR) 21-18, 21-12  
5. Nad Murray Ceriello and Scarlett McClung (USF) def. Jeryn Hildenbrand and Josie Povey (POR) 21-14, 16-21, 7-15
MATCH NOTES
Order of finish: 4, 3, 2, 1, 5

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