The memory of UCLA’s early-season stumble against Stanford lingered into its opening weekend in Hawaii.

But just over two weeks later, the Bruins erased it.

No. 2 UCLA beach volleyball (11-2) finished the MPSF Midseason Rumble undefeated, defeating No. 16 Grand Canyon (5-7) 4-1, No. 18 Washington (6-6) 5-0, Oregon (5-8) 5-0 and No. 1 Stanford (12-2) 4-1 at Mapes Beach on Friday and Saturday.

Headlining the weekend was a matchup against the nation’s top-ranked Cardinal, which handed the Bruins one of their two losses in Hawaii on Feb. 20.

But on its home sand at Mapes Beach, UCLA flipped the script.

The Bruins triumphed in the weekend’s marquee dual, avenging the early-season defeat in a top-two showdown and punctuating their undefeated tournament run with a statement victory.

Stanford struck first on court 4 but UCLA quickly responded, sweeping the remaining matches to earn the victory.

Redshirt sophomore Harper Cooper and sophomore Alexa Fernandez recorded a win on court 3 before sophomore Sally Perez and senior Maggie Boyd clinched the match on court 1 and redshirt junior Kenzie Brower and freshman Mallory LaBreche sealed the victory moments later on the last court.

The Bruins’ surge was initiated by a 21-16, 21-19 win on court 2 from redshirt sophomore Kaley Mathews and redshirt junior Ensley Alden, whose performances energized Mapes Beach.

“They (Mathews and Alden) connect really well as a pair. They’re both very explosive, powerful players,” said coach Jenny Johnson Jordan. “For them, it’s about being under control as well. Once they do that together, they’re almost unstoppable. Kaley has a lot of fire, so does Ensley, and they really do complement each other in style of play.”

Mathews and Alden have been a steady force against the Cardinal this season.

The pair improved to 4-0 in dual-match sets against Stanford this season after defeating Avery Jackson and Brooke Rockwell on Feb. 20.

UCLA’s performance also reflected the growth the squad has shown. With several new pairings in the lineup this season, UCLA continues to gain chemistry and confidence.

“When we win together, it builds another stepping stone in our path to winning the national championship,” Mathews said. “This tournament specifically, coming off Hawaii, where we lost two games, we wanted to prove to everybody that we’re the best team out there.”

Across the four duals, UCLA’s control was evident in the final scorelines. The Bruins achieved back-to-back sweeps of Washington and Oregon, allowing little room for opponents to gain traction across the courts.

By the end of the tournament, UCLA had won 18 of the 20 sets played. And the margins underscored the Bruins’ command throughout the event, as the squad consistently closed out matches without letting the contests slip into tight finishes.

“The difference this time around was the mental game,” Fernandez said. “We were all checked in and prepared mentally. We’ve been holding each other accountable and to a higher standard since Hawaii. We keep raising the bar.”

UCLA is set to compete at the East Meets West Invitational from March 13 to March 14 in Manhattan Beach, California, where it is slated against No. 8 Arizona State, No. 13 LSU, No. 5 Texas and FIU.