GULF SHORES, Alabama —   Pepperdine and LBSU squared off three times throughout the 2013 season, with Pepperdine winning each time by scores of 3-2, 4-1 and 3-2. Pepperdine, undefeated as a program since starting competition in 2012, looked to defend last year's National Championship. LBSU would take the day, however, winning the title in a deciding third set in the last flight of the match, putting Pepperdine away by a duals score of 3-2.

PHOTOS: AVCA sand volleyball tournament in Gulf Shores

LBSU began the match with a 1-0 overall advantage due to an injury sustained by Jasmine Orozco of Pepperdine's top pair. The format of the match dictated that the rest of the flights would compete in staggered starts, with Flight 2 kicking things off on Court 1. LBSU's Aigner-Swesey and Cabrajac jumped out to an early lead in Set 1 in Flight 2, claiming the victory before Pepperdine's duo of Racich and Dykstra battled back to force a third set, which they won decisively by a score of 15-9.

Meanwhile, in Flight 2, Pepperdine's Larsen and Woolever defeated Fontanilla and Mackie of LBSU by a score of 21-17, 21-18 to take a 2-1 overall lead.

With Pepperdine leading the dual 2-1, the Championship would be determined at Flights 4 and 5. In the three previous meetings between LBSU and Pepperdine this season, LBSU's 4/5 pairs went 5-1 against Pepperdine's 4/5's.

A straight set sweep on Court 1 by the undefeated LBSU pair of Jackson and Johnson evened the duals at a score of 2-2, meaning that once more the outcome would be determined in the final flight. LBSU claimed the first set by a score of 21-19. Not to be outdone, Pepperdine's Adelhelm and Racich stormed their way to a dominating 21-9 win in set 2.

As the championship hung in the balance, LBSU pulled through with a decisive 15-10 victory, putting a stamp on the Team Championship and claiming the school's first AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Title.

To get to the Team Championship, Pepperdine defeated Florida State in a hard-fought match earlier in the day. After being forced to forfeit at the top flight due to injury, FSU began play with a 1-0 overall advantage. Pepperdine persevered, however, and claimed victories on three of the four remaining flights to advance to the Championship.

In the other bracket, LBSU had to stave off an inspired squad from the University of Southern California. The Women of Troy fought hard, but ultimately fell just short of the title match by a score of 3-2.

LBSU claimed wins at flights 2, 3 and 4 to advance.