PHOENIX, Ariz. — Kimi Waller and Ella Erteltova got the first win of the season for UC Davis beach volleyball in the second match of the Canyon Classic, but the Aggies fell 0-5 and 1-4 on the opening day of the 2026 season.

Score (Game One): UC Davis 0, Arizona State 5
Records: UC Davis 0-1, Arizona State 1-0
Score (Game Two): UC Davis 1, Arizona 4
Records: UC Davis 0-2, Arizona 1-0
Location: Phoenix, Ariz. (GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium)
 
THE RALLY

• In the third flight against Arizona State, Skye Smolinski and Kate O'Steen took their opponents to the distance after a second set victory over the Sun Devils. 
• Despite a close second set loss to the Wildcats, Waller and Erteltova took the game with a 15-13 victory in the deciding third set.
• Smolinski and O'Steen battled hard once again in their second game of the day with a five-point first set win while pushing the third set to extras. However, it wasn't enough as the Wildcats would claim the point.

RESULTS

UC Davis 0, Arizona State 5

1. Ava Kirunchyk/Samaya Morin (ASU) def. Kimi Waller/Ella Erteltova (UCD) 21-9, 21-14
2. Reagan Hope/Daniella Kensinger (ASU) def. Kendal Steller/Morgan Gillinger (UCD) 21-12, 21-18
3. Zoe Taylor/Arden Besecker (ASU) def. Skye Smolinski/Kate O'Steen (UCD) 21-18, 17-21, 15-11
4. McKenna Flaherty/Kristin Gilmour (ASU) def. Kirra Martin/Kinley Lindhardt (UCD) 21-13, 21-14
5. Kendall Whitmarsh/Olivia McElroy (ASU) def. Reese Fraser/Ava Berard (UCD) 21-15 21-11

UC Davis 1, Arizona 4

1. Kimi Waller/Ella Erteltova (UCD) def. Regan Holmer/Carlie Cisneros (ARIZ) 22-20, 19-21, 15-13
2. Ashlyn Zilliken/Madeline Walker (ARIZ) def. Kendal Steller/Morgan Gillinger (UCD) 21-13, 21-10
3. Stephanie Rondon/Adri Nieves Papaleo (ARIZ) def. Skye Smolinski/Kate O'Steen (UCD) 21-16, 15-21, 22-20
4. Sophia Winter/Jamie Streit (ARIZ) def. Kirra Martin/Kinley Lindhardt (UCD) 21-14, 21-17
5. Sadie Moore/Brooke Boyko (ARIZ) def. Emma Johnson/Alexandra Leal (UCD) 21-17, 21-14

UP NEXT: The Aggies get another opportunity to pick up their first win of the season tomorrow, Feb. 21, when they face #5 TCU at 10:30 am PT and Colorado Mesa at 1:00 pm PT on the second and final day of the Canyon Classic.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.