No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Claims 4-1 Win Over No. 12 California

STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (21-1) defeated No. 12 California (19-8), 4-1, in its second dual at the Pac-12 North Invitational at the Stanford Graduate School of Business courts on Saturday, April 9.
 
The Women of Troy extended the program's fourth-longest win streak with their 20th-consecutive dual victory and improved to 10-2 all-time against the Golden Bears.
 
It is the fifth time USC has produced a 20-win streak within a single season. The Trojans also go to 15-2 in duals played in Northern California (10-2 in Stanford, Calif.) and improved to 118-14 all-time when they hold the No. 1 ranking.
 
Played in three flights of two matches at a time, the Trojans claimed the first point of the dual from the top court when Tina Graudina and Hailey Harwardknocked off Ava Mann and Ainsley Radell, 21-8, 21-14, for their 17th straight victory to improve to 18-1 on the year.
 
Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse became the sixth USC pair in program history to reach the 50-win plateau when they took down Ashley Delgado and Alex Young-Gomez, 21-16, 21-16, at the No. 4 position. The sisters won their fifth straight match to improve to 14-3 on the season and are now tied with the pair of Terese Cannon and Sammy Slater for sixth all-time among USC pairs.
 
The Trojans' No. 2 pair of Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles remained unbeaten and improved to 22-0 this spring with a 21-16, 21-19 win over Ana Costa and Maya Gessner to clinch the dual for the Women of Troy. The Golden Bears scored their dual point with a win at the No. 3 position where Ella Dreibholz and Lexi McKeown defeated Caroline Schafer and Slater, 21-16, 21-17.
 
USC collected a fourth point with a win at the No. 5 position by Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando. The tandem got a 21-12, 21-9 win over Kate Bierly and Natalie Martin to improve to 16-2 on the season with their third straight win.
 
In a non-scoring exhibition match, Paige Dreeuws and Paige Hammons took down Alena Korobko and Ella Sears. 21-9, 21-10.
 
USC will take on No. 17 Arizona (15-6) on Sunday morning (April 10) on Pac-12 Bay Area and then concludes the Pac-12 North Invitational against Oregon (9-12) at 2 p.m. later in the afternoon at the Stanford GSB Courts.
 
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. 1 USC def. No. 12 California, 4-1
Pac-12 North Invitational
Stanford Graduate School of Business Courts · Stanford, Calif.
Saturday, April 9, 2022
RECORDS: USC (21-1), California (19-8)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Ava MANN/Ainsley RADELL (CAL); 21-8, 21-14
2. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Ana COSTA/Maya GESSNER (CAL); 21-16, 21-19
3. Ella DREIBHOLZ/Lexi McKEOWN (CAL) def. Caroline SCHAFER/Sammy SLATER (USC); 21-16, 21-17
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Ashley DELGADO/Alex YOUNG-GOMEZ (CAL); 21-16, 21-16
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) def. Kate BIERLY/Natalie MARTIN (CAL); 21-12, 21-9
Exh. Paige DREEUWS/Paige HAMMONS (USC) def. Alena KOROBKO/Ella SEARS (CAL); 21-9, 21-10
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2*, 3, 5