No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Splits Duals with No. 2 Florida State
LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (13-1) split duals with No. 2 Florida State (22-1) at Merle Norman Stadium on Saturday, April 3. The Women of Troy won the first meeting, 4-1, to hand the Seminoles their first loss of the spring, but were narrowly defeated, 3-2, in the second dual and suffered their first loss of the year.
The Trojans' 13-dual winning streak was the fourth longest in program history. USC's home winning streak of eight straight matches was also halted in the loss to FSU, but the Trojans recorded the 65th all-time win at Merle Norman Stadium and are now 65-10 all-time on MNS sand. The win over Florida State pushed USC's streak to five consecutive wins against the Seminoles, but the loss leaves the USC ahead, 13-5, in the all-time series record.
Two USC pairs went 2-0 on the day. At the No. 5 position, sophomore twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse handed Jenna Johnson and Kate Privett their first two losses of the season (16-2). The Trojan sisters won, 21-16, 22-20, in the first dual and then went three sets for a 17-21, 21-16, 15-13 win in the second dual to improve to 14-0 on the season and run their winning streak to 22 consecutive victories.
At the No. 4 position, graduate Joy Dennis and freshman Delaynie Maple went 2-0 in just four sets. The USC duo won its 10th and 11th straight matches by knocking off Payton Caffrey and Madison Fitzpatrick. Dennis-Maple improved to 11-1 on the season with a 21-17, 22-20 win in the first meeting and then won a second time, 24-22, 21-16.
In the No. 1 spot, junior All-American Tina Graudina and senior All-American Sammy Slater defeated Alaina Chacon and Molly McBain, 21-19, 21-14, in the first dual, but the Seminole duo fought back to get a three-set win for the clinching point in the second dual, 27-25, 15-21, 17-15. The loss was only the first of the year for Graudina-Slater, now 12-1 overall.
On court two, graduate Hailey Harward teamed up with freshman Megan Kraft for the first time and secured the clinching point in the first dual on a 21-14, 21-16 win over Keara Rutz and Torrey Van Winden. The Seminoles turned the tables in the second dual and got a win of their own with a 21-17, 21-19 finish, which tied the dual at two points a side.
Junior Mollie Ebertin and senior Haley Hallgren were on court three and couldn't stop Florida State's undefeated No. 3 pair of Maddie Anderson and Sara Putt (23-0). The FSU duo won the first match, 23-21, 21-17, and then went 21-16, 21-13 in the second dual to stay unscathed this season.
The Trojans return to the sand for another two duals against No. 3-ranked LSU (16-4) on Sunday (April 4) at 10:30 a.m. PT and 1 p.m. PT. Both duals will be streamed live on USC's live stream platform.
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. 2 Florida State, 4-1
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Saturday, April 3, 2021
RECORDS: USC (13-0), Florida State (21-1)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Alaina CHACON/Molly McBAIN (FSU); 21-19, 21-14
2. Hailey HARWARD/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Keara RUTZ/Torrey VAN WINDEN (FSU); 21-14, 21-16
3. Maddie ANDERSON/Sara PUTT (FSU) def. Mollie EBERTIN/Haley HALLGREN (USC); 23-21, 21-17
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Payton CAFFREY/Madison FITZPATRICK (FSU); 21-17, 22-20
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Jenna JOHNSON/Kate PRIVETT (FSU); 21-16, 22-20
Exh. Avery POPPINGA/Liz WATERS-LEIGA (FSU) def. Olivia BAKOS/Harper HALLGREN (USC); 21-12, 21-15
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2*, 1, 3
No. 2 Florida State def. No. 1 USC, 3-2
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Saturday, April 3, 2021
RECORDS: USC (13-1), Florida State (22-1)
1. Alaina CHACON/Molly McBAIN (FSU) def. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC); 27-25, 15-21, 17-15
2. Keara RUTZ/Torrey VAN WINDEN (FSU) def. Hailey HARWARD/Megan KRAFT (USC); 21-17, 21-19
3. Maddie ANDERSON/Sara PUTT (FSU) def. Mollie EBERTIN/Haley HALLGREN (USC); 21-16, 21-13
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Payton CAFFREY/Madison FITZPATRICK (FSU); 24-22, 21-16
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Jenna JOHNSON/Kate PRIVETT (FSU); 17-21, 21-16, 15-13
Exh. Paige DREEUWS/Maja KAISER (USC) vs. Lexi McKEOWN/Liz WATERS-LEIGA (FSU); 21-15, 16-21
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3, 2, 1*