No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Sweeps No. 17 LBSU and No. 7 LMU

LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (8-0) stayed undefeated with a pair of 5-0 sweeps over No. 17 Long Beach State (2-6) and No. 7 Loyola Marymount (8-2) at Merle Norman Stadium on Saturday, March 13.
 
The Women of Troy improved to 10-5 all-time against The Beach and won their ninth straight dual over LBSU, including three straight 5-0 sweeps. The Trojans improved to 21-0 in its series history with LMU and picked up their 12th 5-0 sweep all-time against the Lions. The two wins pushed USC's all-time home record at Merle Norman Stadium to 63-9.
 
No USC pair lost a match today, but two went 4-0 in sets including All-Americans Tina Graudina and Sammy Slater at the No. 1 position. They took down Mari Molina and Tyler Spriggs of Long Beach State, 21-16, 21-12, and then cleared the day with a 21-17, 21-19 win over Iya Lindahl and Megan Rice of LMU to improve to 8-0 on the year.
 
At court four, Joy Dennis and Delaynie Maple also posted straight-set wins to extend their winning streak to six matches. Dennis and Maple defeated LBSU's Hanna Farnsworth and Madison Smeathers, 21-10, 21-12, in their first contest and then posted a 21-17, 21-15 win over LMU's Darby Dunn and Sydnie Herrmann.
 
On two, the current Pac-12 Pair of the Week USC duo of Hailey Harward and Julia Scoles went 21-11, 21-17 against LBSU's Katie Kennedy and Nicci Reinking, but went three sets with LMU's Selina Marolf and Reka Orsi Toth before closing out a 24-22, 18-21, 15-8 victory. At the No. 5 position, sophomore twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse earned a 21-14, 21-13 win over Emily Mattoon and Jillian Rodriguez in the dual against Long Beach State and then won, 19-21, 21-16, 15-9 against LMU's Emma Doud and Madi Firnett to extend their winning streak to 16 consecutive matches.
 
At No. 3, Haley Hallgren and Megan Kraft won, 21-12, 21-19, against LBSU's Skyler Germann and Alice Pratesi; and then beat LMU's Jessie Prichard and Savannah Slattery in three sets, 17-21, 21-15, 15-12.
 
Next week, USC will host Bakersfield (1-1) at Merle Norman Stadium for a noon PT dual on Thursday (March 18) and then returns to Malibu for a rematch against No. 8 Pepperdine (1-5) on Sunday (March 21).
 
NOTE: All home USC beach volleyball competitions at Merle Norman Stadium will be conducted in accordance with the Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee health and safety recommendations and guidelines, available at Pac-12.com/health.

For more information on the three-time national champion USC beach volleyball team and a complete schedule, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
 
No. 1 USC def. No. 17 Long Beach State, 5-0
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Saturday, March 13, 2021
RECORDS: USC (7-0), Long Beach State (2-6)      
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Mari MOLINA/Tyler SPRIGGS (LBSU); 21-16, 21-12
2. Hailey HARWARD/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Katie KENNEDY/Nicci REINKING (LBSU); 21-11, 21-17
3. Haley HALLGREN/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Skyler GERMANN/Alice PRATESI (LBSU); 21-12, 21-19
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Hanna FARNSWORTH/Madison SMEATHERS (LBSU); 21-10, 21-12
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Emily MATTOON/Jillian RODRIGUEZ (LBSU); 21-14, 21-13
Exh. Paige DREEUWS/Mollie EBERTIN (USC) def. Sophie MAJOR/Claire NEWLANDER (LBSU); 21-10, 21-9
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3*, 2, 1
 
No. 1 USC def. No. 7 Loyola Marymount, 5-0
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Saturday, March 13, 2021
RECORDS: USC (8-0), Loyola Marymount (8-2)    
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Iya LINDAHL/Megan RICE (LMU); 21-17, 21-19
2. Hailey HARWARD/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Selina MAROLF/Reka ORSI TOTH (LMU); 24-22, 18-21, 15-8
3. Haley HALLGREN/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Jessie PRICHARD/Savannah SLATTERY (LMU); 17-21, 21-15, 15-12
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Darby DUNN/Sydnie HERRMANN (LMU); 21-17, 21-15
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Emma DOUD/Madi FIRNETT (LMU); 19-21, 21-16, 15-9
Exh. Harper HALLGREN/Maja KAISER (USC) def. Cassie CHINN/Jacinda RAMIREZ (LMU); 21-16, 21-15
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1*, 3, 2