Santa Barbara Volleyball Club members Alison Minnich and Ellie Gamberdella teamed up for the beach volleyball competition in the 14’s division at the AAU Junior Florida Open in Orlando and earned a bronze medal.

The competition included teams from Honduras, Puerto Rico, Florida, Tennessee, and other Southeast states.

Minnich and Gambedella took first in pool play and advanced to the semifinals in the playoffs. The girls came from behind to capture the bronze-medal match. The win qualified them for the AAU Junior Olympics in Hermosa Beach later this month.