No. 2 USC Beach Volleyball Tops Houston Baptist for 10th Straight Victory

LOS ANGELES – The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (11-1) took out Houston Baptist (7-10) in a 5-0 sweep at Merle Norman Stadium on Tuesday, March 22. The win is the Trojans' 10th in a row and is USC's seventh clean 5-0 victory of the season.
 
The two teams met for the first time and the win takes USC's all-time first-meeting record over opponents to 41-2.
 
The first dual point was scored from the No. 2 position where Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles took a 21-12, 21-15 win over Maddie Butters and Brennan Miller. It was the 12th straight win for Maple-Scoles, who remain undefeated on the season (12-0).
 
USC went to 2-0 over the Huskies as Trojan twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse claimed a 21-15, 21-17 win over Gabi Axelrod and Shelby O'Neal at court four. For the third straight dual (and seventh time this season), the clinching point came from the top court where Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward collected their 10th straight win with a 21-9, 21-10 win over Lauren Huggins and Alison Stanfill.
 
The fourth point went on the board from court five when Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando got by Mary Alper and Abbey Reinard with a 21-9, 21-15 win for their fifth victory in a row. In the only match to go to three sets, Harper Hallgren and Megan Kraft completed a 21-19, 24-26, 15-10 win over Lindsay Harris and Kristen Kleymeyer to put the 5-0 sweep in the books.
 
In a non-scoring exhibition match, Caroline Schafer and Shannon Scully defeated Kaley Feris and Victoria Kenney, 21-8, 21-10. 
 
The Trojans return to action at 2:30 p.m. PT today against CSU Bakersfield (6-3) on Merle Norman sand. Later, USC hits the road this weekend for the Pac-12 South Invitational at Bear Down Beach in Tucson, Ariz. The Trojans will face Utah, Arizona State, and Washington on Saturday and Sunday (March 26-27) in a preview of the site of the 2022 Pac-12 Championship.
 
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. Houston Baptist, 5-0
Merle Norman Stadium · Los Angeles, Calif.
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
RECORDS: USC (11-1), Houston Baptist (7-10)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Lauren HUGGINS/Alison STANFILL (HBU); 21-9, 21-10
2. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Maddie BUTTERS/Brennan MILLER (HBU); 21-12, 21-15
3. Harper HALLGREN/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Lindsay HARRIS/Kristen KLEYMEYER (HBU); 21-19, 24-26, 15-10
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Gabi AXELROD/Shelby O'NEAL (HBU); 21-15, 21-17
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) def. Mary ALPER/Abbey REINARD (HBU); 21-9, 21-15
Exh. Caroline SCHAFER/Shannon SCULLY (USC) def. Kaley FERIS/Victoria KENNEY (HBU); 21-8, 21-10
Order of finish: 2, 4, 1*, 5, 3