No. 2 USC Beach Volleyball Buries Sun Devils in Desert Finale

PHOENIX – The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (18-2) defeated host Arizona State (6-9) in a 5-0 sweep at GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium to conclude its weekend at the Pac-12 North Invitational on Sunday, April 11.
 
The win is the Trojans' fifth straight dual victory and pushes the Women of Troy to 13-0 all-time against the Sun Devils and to 25-1 all-time in the state of Arizona. It is also USC's 12th clean 5-0 sweep of an opponent this spring.
 
Trojans picked up the first dual point on a 21-10, 21-13 win at the top court when junior All-American Tina Graudina and freshman Megan Kraft took out Katelyn Carballo and Lexi Sweeney. 
 
In a neck-and-neck finish, graduate Joy Dennis and freshman Delaynie Maple turned a 21-18, 21-8 win against Lila Bordis and Samantha Plaster into a 2-0 USC lead. Moments later, sophomore twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse delivered the knockout blow from court five with a 21-13, 21-6 win against Taryn Ames and Lauren Weintraub.
 
USC tacked up a fourth point from the No. 2 position where graduate Julia Scoles and senior Sammy Slater claimed a 21-13, 21-14 win over Emily Anderson and Kate Fitzgerald. The sweep went into the books when senior Haley Hallgren and graduate Hailey Harward collected a 22-20, 21-15 win over Cierra Flood and Sarah Waters on court three.
 
The Trojans return to California for the remainder of the regular season and head to San Luis Obispo for the Center of Effort Challenge next weekend. USC takes on Loyola Marymount, Grand Canyon, UCLA, and host Cal Poly at the Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Friday and Saturday (April 16-17).
 
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. 2 USC def. Arizona State, 5-0
Pac-12 North Invitational
GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium • Phoenix, Ariz.
Sunday, April 11, 2021
RECORDS: USC (18-2), Arizona State (6-9)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Katelyn CARBALLO/Lexi SWEENEY (ASU); 21-10, 21-13
2. Julia SCOLES/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Emily ANDERSON/Kate FITZGERALD (ASU); 21-13, 21-14
3. Haley HALLGREN/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Cierra FLOOD/Sarah WATERS (ASU); 22-20, 21-15
4. Joy DENNIS/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Lila BORDIS/Samantha PLASTER (ASU); 21-18, 21-8
5. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Taryn AMES/Lauren WEINTRAUB (ASU); 21-13, 21-6
Order of finish: 1, 4, 5*, 2, 3