No. 2 USC Beach Volleyball Stacks Up Seventh Straight with Win Over No. 18 Stetson

DeLAND, Fla. – The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (8-1) concluded play at the Stetson Sun-N-Sand Invitational with a 5-0 win over No. 18-ranked host Stetson (5-7) at the Cooper Beach Courts on Sunday, March 13.
 
The win is USC's seventh straight and the fifth clean 5-0 victory of the season. USC improves to 21-4 all-time in matches played in the Eastern Time Zone and to 14-1 in duals played in the Sunshine State.
 
USC collected its first point with a straight-set win by twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse at the No. 4 position. The Trojan duo won its 40th match with a 21-18, 21-15 decision against Lauren Della and Colene Hamilton. The Women of Troy went up, 2-0, when Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando teamed for their third win of the weekend, 21-18, 21-14, over Audrey Gauthier and Colene Hamilton at court five. 
 
The clinching point came from the top court where Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward defeated Shae Henson and Kylie Neuschaeferova in two sets, 21-15, 21-12. It was the 99th-career individual victory for Graudina who moved into a tie for 10th in program history with All-American Alexa Strange.
 
The fourth USC point came from court two where Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater won their eighth straight to improve to 8-0 with a 21-12, 21-15 victory over Carolina Ferraris and Anete Namike. USC secured the sweep as Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles went to 9-0 on the season with a 21-15, 21-18 win against Gabriella Bramante and Karin Zolnercikova at court three.
 
In a non-scoring exhibition match, Paige Dreeuws teamed with Caroline Schafer for the first time and claimed a 21-16, 21-17 win against Shahar Rosner and Aleksandra Stadnik.
 
Next, the Trojans head down the coast to Miami for the FIU Surf & Turf Invite at Lummus Park Beach in South Beach, on Wednesday, March 16. USC faces host Florida International at 2 p.m. ET and then meets Florida Gulf Coast at 4:30 p.m. to conclude its East Coast trip. 
 
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @USCBeach.
 
No. 2 USC def. No. 18 Stetson, 5-0
Stetson Sun-N-Sand Invitational
Cooper Beach Courts · DeLand, Fla.
Sunday, March 13, 2022
RECORDS: USC (8-1), Stetson (5-7)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Shae HENSON/Kylie NEUSCHAEFEROVA (STET); 21-15, 21-12
2. Megan KRAFT/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Carolina FERRARIS/Anete NAMIKE (STET); 21-12, 21-15
3. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Gabriella BRAMANTE/Karin ZOLNERCIKOVA (STET); 21-15, 21-18
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Lauren DELLA/Colene HAMILTON (STET); 21-18, 21-15
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) def. Audrey GAUTHIER/Klea SIROIS (STET); 21-18, 21-14
Exh. Paige DREEUWS/Caroline SCHAFER (USC) def. Shahar ROSNER/Aleksandra STADNIK (STET); 21-16, 21-17
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1*, 2, 3