No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Gets One of Two Against No. 3 LSU
LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (14-2) split duals for the second day in a row with a 3-2 loss and a 3-2 win against No. 3 LSU (17-5) at Merle Norman Stadium on Easter Sunday, April 4.
In the Trojans' final two home duals of the spring, USC goes to 9-2 at home this season and to 66-11 all-time at Merle Norman Stadium. The Trojans improved to 4-2 all-time against LSU with the win, but the Tigers, in their first visit to MNS become just the fifth team ever to get a win over USC there; joining Florida State, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Long Beach State. USC's record when ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll goes to 108-11 all-time.
Like old hat, the Trojans' sophomore duo of twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse went 2-0 again to extend their incredible winning streak to 24 consecutive matches. USC's No. 5 pair defeated Olivia Ordonez and Kahlee York in straight sets in the first dual, 23-21, 21-13, and then completed the 4-0 weekend with a three-set win over Ordonez-York, 27-25, 14-21, 15-10, in the second dual.
At the No. 2 position, graduate Hailey Harward and freshman Megan Kraft also went 2-0 on the day with a 21-15, 21-18 win over Claire Coppola and Kelli Green-Agnew in the first meeting. The Trojans needed three sets the second time, but beat the Tiger pair, 21-12, 17-21, 15-11, to deliver the clinching point in the dual victory.
In the final home matches of her career, graduate Joy Dennis teamed with freshman Delaynie Maple to go 1-1 on the day. The Trojans suffered a narrow 21-19, 21-19 defeat to Jess Lansman and Sydney Moore in their first dual; but came out with a vengeance in the second meeting to take a 21-17, 21-14 victory.
In the No. 1 spot, junior All-American Tina Graudina and senior All-American Sammy Slater struggled against the Tigers' top pair of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss and were defeated, 21-12, 19-21, 15-13, for the clinching point in the first dual. The USC duo led early in the first set of the second meeting, but the LSU pair fought back to get a 24-22, 21-15 win.
On court three, senior Haley Hallgren paired with junior Mollie Ebertin in the first dual to go up against Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Toni Rodriguez. The Tigers won, 21-18, 21-13, for the second of three points. Hallgren was matched with fellow senior Paige Dreeuws in the second dual but Rasnick-Pope and Rodriguez won in three sets, 21-18, 15-21, 15-10, to take the Tigers' second point.
Following the completion of the duals, USC recognized the contributions of its departing seniors with a small ceremony on court two. The Women of Troy celebrated the careers of Paige Dreeuws, Josannah Vazquez, Maja Kaiser, Haley Hallgren, and Joy Dennis.
USC returns to the Copper State next weekend for the Pac-12 North Invitational. The two-day event will be hosted by Arizona State at the Grand Canyon Beach Volleyball Stadium on the campus of GCU in Phoenix. The Trojans take on California and Washington on Saturday (April 10) and then meet Stanford and Arizona State on Sunday (April 11).
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. 3 LSU def. No. 1 USC, 3-2
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Sunday, April 4, 2021
RECORDS: USC (13-2), LSU (17-4)
1. Taryn KLOTH/Kristen NUSS (LSU) def. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC); 21-12, 19-21, 15-13
2. Hailey HARWARD/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Claire COPPOLA/Kelli GREEN-AGNEW (LSU); 21-15, 21-18
3. Ashlyn RASNICK-POPE/Toni RODRIGUEZ (LSU) def. Mollie EBERTIN/Haley HALLGREN (USC); 21-18, 21-13
4. Jess LANSMAN/Sydney MOORE (LSU) def. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC); 21-19, 21-19
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Olivia ORDONEZ/Kahlee YORK (LSU); 23-21, 21-13
Exh. Paige DREEUWS/Maja KAISER (USC) vs. Lara BOOS/Ellie SHANK (LSU); 15-21, 22-20
Order of finish: 5, 4, 2, 3, 1*
No. 1 USC def. No. 3 LSU, 3-2
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Sunday, April 4, 2021
RECORDS: USC (14-2), LSU (17-5)
1. Taryn KLOTH/Kristen NUSS (LSU) def. Tina GRAUDINA/Sammy SLATER (USC); 24-22, 21-15
2. Hailey HARWARD/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Claire COPPOLA/Kelli GREEN-AGNEW (LSU); 21-12, 17-21, 15-11
3. Ashlyn RASNICK-POPE/Toni RODRIGUEZ (LSU) def. Paige DREEUWS/Haley HALLGREN (USC); 21-18, 15-21, 15-10
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Jess LANSMAN/Sydney MOORE (LSU); 21-17, 21-14
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Olivia ORDONEZ/Kahlee YORK (LSU); 27-25, 14-21, 15-10
Exh. Reilly ALLRED/Grace SEITS (LSU) def. Maja KAISER/Josannah VAZQUEZ (USC); 23-21, 21-15
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2*, 3