UCLA Beach Volleyball: The Bruins’ epic rally for the title, UCLA’s 116th

The UCLA Beach Volleyball team killed it during the NCAA Tournament as they came from the elimination bracket to win the National Championship. Their first and UCLA’s 116th, bringing them back into first place overall for the most NCAA titles with Stanford.

Let me start off by saying that children’s birthday parties, if not done right, can be a drag. Me, I do children’s parties right. For example, as I was helping my oldest daughter get some juice at a party, my phone sent an alert and I blurted out, “Hey, the UCLA beach volleyball team is playing right now.” Speaking to nobody in general, in a very matter of fact way.

RELATED: UCLA Gymnastics brings home championship #115 

My daughter, who is growing to love UCLA more and more everyday (blame me), said, “They are?” I did not realize (1) I spoke out loud and (2) she heard. “Yeah, baby. If they win two matches, they are the champions.” She responds, clenching her fists, “Oh, I hope they win.” Me too.

She was in  for a nice surprise.

Let us backtrack real quick. On Friday, the NCAA Tournament began in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Bruins were the top seed and one of the favorites to win the national title, their first I they could complete the feat.

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Up until that point, UCLA had won 30 matches in a row. Before this weekend, they were 35-3, with losses to Hawaii, USC and Pepperdine. Since then, they have beaten Hawaii twice, Pepperdine once and USC three times, but I digress.

The Bruins started their weekend with a 3-0 sweep of Florida International. But reality hit when UCLA met up with Florida State, a team they beat twice this season. The Seminoles, from out of nowhere, smacked the Bruins around for a 3-1 victory. The loss, the first in 31 matches, sent them to the elimination bracket on Saturday, as the NCAA Tournament is a dual-elimination event.

With that being said, one more loss and UCLA was done for good. They would have to win four matches in a row to win the national championship (hey, didn’t another UCLA team come from behind to win a national title? The answer is yes, UCLA Gymnastics, two weeks ago).

On Saturday, UCLA started their revenge tour with a 3-0 beating of LSU. Then the Bruins added insult to Trojanery as they beat USC 3-1. On the season, UCLA was 5-1 against USC, the reigning back-to-back national champions. With this win, it meant the Bruins would be set up with Hawaii in the semifinal game.

UCLA beat Hawaii in the semifinal game, but it wasn’t;t easy as the edged the Warriors, 3-2. The Bruins were now set up in the Championship Game… with Florida State. After going up 1-0 with a victory form Izzy Carey and Megan Muret, FSU came back in the second match to tie it up 1-1, but that was all they were going to do the rest of the day as the pairs of Zana Muno & Savvy Simo and Sarah Sponcil & Lily Justine won their match-ups in two straight sets, getting their revenge and sealing UCLA Beach Volleyball’s first national championship.

With that, they also made national news as this title gives UCLA 116 total, putting them back on top as the school with the most NCAA Championships, tying them back up with Stanford.

I told my daughter, “UCLA won! They are the champions!” She turned to me as she was on the swing in the back yard and said in a huskier than normal voice. “Yeeeeeeah. Go Bruins!” Go Bruins indeed, little one. Go Bruins, indeed.