YOUNGSVILLE, La. - Missouri State beach volleyball saw its 2026 season come to a close Friday at the Conference USA Championship, falling to No. 2 seed UAB, 3-1, before dropping a 3-2 nail-biter to No. 4 seed South Florida in an elimination match.

The Bears opened the tournament Thursday with a 3-2 comeback win over No. 3 seed FIU, earning the program's first win over the Panthers and advancing to the second day of the championship.

"What a weekend," head coach Ashley Emery said. "I'm beyond impressed with the heart, determination, and grit this team brought the second we stepped on the court. Every match felt like a battle, and we showed up ready to compete, fight, and leave it all out there."

UAB 3, Missouri State 1
Missouri State opened Friday against UAB, with MacKenzie Steele and Amanda Cleary earning the Bears' point at Flight 2. After dropping a tight opening set, Steele and Cleary responded with a dominant second set and finished off the comeback with a 21-23, 21-9, 15-11 victory over Pien Grooters and Virginia Voitier.

UAB took the first two completed flights to build an early lead, winning at Flights 4 and 3. Isabel Day and Claudia Stockard defeated Raylee Stenzel and Taylor Germann, 21-18, 21-14, at Flight 4 before Ava Knott and Olivia Chychrun followed with a 21-18, 21-15 win over Maddie Schrandt and Manuela Niemeyer at Flight 3.

The Blazers clinched the dual at Flight 1, where Rylie Cepicky and Allyson Larkin battled Olivia Stant and Jasmine Haas in a three-set match. Cepicky and Larkin took the opening set, 25-23, before UAB rallied to win the final two sets, 21-19, 15-6. Flight 5 went unfinished, with Logan Kaneshiro and Jaycee Fixsen leading early before the match was stopped in the third set.

South Florida 3, Missouri State 2
The Bears returned to the sand later Friday against South Florida, pushing the Bulls to the final flight before falling 3-2 in the final match of the season.

Steele and Cleary once again gave Missouri State an early point at Flight 2, defeating Julia Panko and Cornelia Crudu in straight sets, 21-18, 21-13. South Florida answered at Flight 1, where Isabella Almedia and Zoey Mitchell earned a 21-17, 21-15 win over Cepicky and Larkin.

The Bulls moved ahead with a three-set win at Flight 4, as Sasha Pasloski and Ryann Genest defeated Stenzel and Germann, 21-19, 19-21, 15-11. Missouri State responded at Flight 3, with Schrandt and Niemeyer keeping the Bears alive behind a three-set comeback. After dropping the first set, the duo battled back to defeat Morgan Anderson and Abigail Lagemann, 17-21, 21-18, 15-12, tying the dual at 2-2.

The match came down to Flight 5, where Kaneshiro and Fixsen pushed Ariana Medchill and Kate Stewart to three sets. South Florida took the opening set, 22-20, before the Bears answered with a 21-15 win in the second. The Bulls edged out the deciding set, 15-11, to clinch the match and end Missouri State's tournament run.

"We proved that Missouri State can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this conference and we're just getting started," Emery said.

Season in Review
Missouri State finished the year with the second-most wins in program history, closing at 24-6 behind only the 2024 team's 26-win season. The Bears also opened the season with a program-best 14-0 start, finished 9-0 at home and earned their first postseason win over FIU at the CUSA Championship.

"I'm especially proud of our seniors," added Emery. "Their leadership, energy, and passion set the tone for everything we did. More than that, they are truly incredible young women, and it's been an honor to be part of their journey. This group has built something special, and I'm so excited for what's ahead."

MacKenzie Steele and Amanda Cleary ended the season on a 15-match winning streak, extending their program-record mark as a pair to 63-23. Steele also finished as Missouri State's all-time career wins leader with 76, while Manuela Niemeyer closed her career with 74 victories.