The Texas beach volleyball team saw its historic season come to a close Friday, falling 3-2 to UCLA in the NCAA national semifinals. Despite the loss, the Longhorns achieved a program-best finish in just their third year of existence, making their first-ever appearance in the championship semifinals.

Earlier in the day, Texas powered past Loyola Marymount 3-1 in the quarterfinals, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Longhorns finished the season with an impressive 28-7 record, marking the best campaign in program history.

The semifinal match against UCLA was a rollercoaster. The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but Texas refused to back down. The No. 1 pair of Brecht Piersma and Katie Hashman ignited a comeback with two clutch 21-19 victories. Sisters Anna and Kacka Pavelkova then kept the Longhorns alive, forcing a decisive third set with a gritty 21-15, 17-21, 15-9 win to even the series at 2-2.

With the match hanging in the balance, it came down to Chloe Charles and Karin Zoinercikova. The duo pushed the second set hard, but UCLA ultimately prevailed, ending Texas's Cinderella run.

The weekend was filled with milestones for the young program. Piersma and Hashman earned Texas's first-ever AVCA Collegiate Beach All-American honors, a testament to their dominance as the team's top pair.

Looking ahead, the Longhorns will face significant roster changes with seven seniors departing. Among them is Devin Kahahawai, a two-time national champion with Texas volleyball, as well as three Austin-area standouts: Vandegrift's Chloe Charles (a Florida State transfer), Westlake's Emma Grace Robertson (Florida Atlantic), and Westlake's Katie Hashman (UCLA). Their contributions have laid a strong foundation for the program's bright future.