No. 3 USC Beach Volleyball Topples No. 2 TCU
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – No. 3-ranked USC beach volleyball (18-1) collected a 4-1 win over No. 2-ranked and previously undefeated TCU (28-1) at the UCLA Invitational at Manhattan Beach Pier on Sunday, April 3.
The Women of Troy won their 17th-consecutive dual (the fourth longest streak in program history) and improved to 5-0 all-time against the Horned Frogs. USC also goes to 15-1 all-time on Manhattan Beach sand.
The Trojans fired the first shot with a win at the No. 4 position where Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse delivered a 21-18, 28-26 win over Maria Gonzalez and Ana Vergara. USC went in front, 2-0, when Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater came back from dropping their first set to defeat Sutton Mactavish and Kaylie McHugh, 17-21, 21-13, 15-9. It was the 13th straight win for Kraft-Slater who improved to 13-0.
TCU scored its only point in the dual with a win at court five. There, Megan Muret and Rochelle Scott took a 21-12, 21-15 win over Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando to snap an 11-match win streak by Ebertin-Villapando.
The knockout blow was landed by the Trojans' No. 3 pair of Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles who improved to 19-0 on the season with a 21-11, 21-19 win over Alexis Fillipone and Hailey Hamlett. With the dual won, USC added its fourth point from the top court when Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward took out Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno, 21-17, 21-17, for their 14th win in a row.
In a non-scoring match, Caroline Schafer and Shannon Scully split sets with Hayley Boll and Tara Patton, 21-16, 16-21.
USC concludes play at the UCLA Invitational with a 1:30 p.m. PT matchup today (April 3) with No. 15 Florida International (15-3).
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. No. 2 TCU, 4-1
UCLA Invitational
Manhattan Beach Pier · Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Sunday, April 3, 2022
RECORDS: USC (18-1), TCU (28-1)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Daniela ALVAREZ/Tania MORENO (TCU); 21-17, 21-17
2. Megan KRAFT/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Sutton MACTAVISH/Kaylie McHUGH (TCU); 17-21, 21-13, 15-9
3. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Alexis FILLIPONE/Hailey HAMLETT (TCU); 21-11, 21-19
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Maria GONZALEZ/Ana VERGARA (TCU); 21-18, 28-26
5. Megan MURET/Rochelle SCOTT (TCU) def. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC); 21-12, 21-15
Exh. Caroline SCHAFER/Shannon SCULLY (USC) vs. Hayley BOLL/Tara PATTON (TCU); 21-16, 16-21 DNF
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 3*, 1