MORAGA, Calif. - After an opening weekend in which the Gaels faced the nation's top competition, Saint Mary's claimed a No. 18 national ranking from Dig Magazine.
The Gaels opened the season at the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic and immediately tested the likes of No. 5 Hawaii, seeing freshmen Chandler Cowell and Selbie Christensen snag a 3-set victory in the fifth position. Seniors Lindsey Knudsen and Sarah Chase took No. 1 UCLA to the limit in their next match, forcing the Bruins into a third set and narrowly losing 15-13.