No. 3 USC Beach Volleyball Sweeps Utah to Open Pac-12 South Invitational

TUCSON, Ariz. – The No. 3-ranked USC beach volleyball team (13-1) collected its 12th straight win and the team's ninth 5-0 victory (10th shutout) in a sweep of Utah (4-7) in the Pac-12 South Invitational on Bear Down Beach on Saturday, March 26.
 
The Trojans' 12 consecutive wins matches the fifth-longest streak in program history as USC improves to 5-0 over the Utes and to 26-1 in duals played in the state of Arizona.
 
Despite the absence of two All-Americans, the Trojans' lineup didn't drop a single set to Utah. USC scored the first point of the dual with a win from the No. 2 position where Hailey Harward and Megan Kraft teamed for a 21-16, 21-14 win over Amaya Messier and Sage Patchell. 
 
At the top court, Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles flew through Grace Andrews and Bella Vezzani in straight sets, 21-9, 21-9, to put the Women of Troy on top, 2-0. The tandem improved to 14-0 on the season and tie the 10th-longest streak produced by a pair in USC history (Tina Graudina and Abril Bustamante, May 4, 2018-March 10, 2019).
 
Minutes later, the dual was clinched from the No. 5 court when Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando took down Sydney Jacinto and Kylie Pitzak, 21-14, 21-11, for their seventh straight win. Ebertin-Villapando go to 9-1 on the season. One court up, twin sisters Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse topped Marissa Koch and Samantha Leight, 21-9, 21-12, for their seventh straight win and the duo's 44th all-time. 
 
At the No. 4 position, Caroline Schafer and Shannon Scully defeated Sommer Daniel and Lauren Sayre, 21-12, in the first set, but were in a back-and-forth battle in the second. Schafer-Scully eventually prevailed and improved to 4-0 together with a 27-25 win in the second to put the 5-0 sweep into the books for the Trojans.
 
USC is back in action in the evening's night cap to take on Arizona State (10-9) at 7 p.m. PT on Bear Down Beach. The dual will be shown live on the Pac-12 Networks' Mountain subnetwork. 
 
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. 3 USC def. Utah, 5-0
Pac-12 South Invitational
Bear Down Beach · Tucson, Ariz.
Saturday, March 26, 2022
RECORDS: USC (13-1), Utah (4-7)
1. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Grace ANDREWS/Bella VEZZANI (UTAH); 21-9, 21-9
2. Hailey HARWARD/Megan KRAFT (USC) def. Amaya MESSIER/Sage PATCHELL (UTAH); 21-16, 21-14
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Marissa KOCH/Samantha LEIGHT (UTAH); 21-9, 21-12
4. Caroline SCHAFER/Shannon SCULLY (USC) def. Sommer DANIEL/Lauren SAYRE (UTAH); 21-12, 27-25
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) def. Sydney JACINTO/Kylie PITZAK (UTAH); 21-14, 21-11
Order of finish: 2, 1, 5*, 3, 4