No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Edges No. 6 Loyola Marymount to Open Center of Effort Challenge

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (24-1) came through with a 3-2 win over No. 6 Loyola Marymount (22-5) to open the Center of Effort Challenge on Friday, April 15.
 
The Women of Troy extended the winning streak to 23 consecutive duals—the third-longest streak in school history—and improved 121-14 all-time when they hold the No. 1 ranking. USC also goes to 24-0 all-time against the Lions.
 
The Trojans' No. 3 pair of Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles extended their individual win streak to 25 matches with a 21-13, 21-13 win over Selina Marolf and Abbey Thorup to give USC an early 1-0 lead in the dual.
 
LMU took a 2-1 lead shortly thereafter as the Nos. 4 and 5 pairs won for the Lions. At No. 4, Macy Gordon and Vilhelmiina Prihti defeated Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse to end the twins' seven-match win streak, 21-18, 21-16. At the No. 5 position, Jacinda Ramirez and Isabelle Reffel got a 21-16, 21-14 win over Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando to halt the Trojans' five-match win streak.
 
The going only got more tough as the Trojans went to third sets at the Nos. 1 and 2 positions. Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater helped USC pull even in the dual when they finished off a 19-21, 21-19, 15-8 win over Marine Kinna and Avery Poppinga at court two. Kraft and Slater collected their 17th straight victory to remain unbeaten at 17-0.
 
At the top court, Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward delivered the knockout punch with a 21-8, 14-21, 15-12 win over Reka Orsi Toth and Megan Rice to improve to 21-1 overall and push their win streak to 20 straight matches.
 
USC is back in action against 13th-ranked host Cal Poly at 3:30 p.m. PT. 
 
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. 6 Loyola Marymount, 3-2
Center of Effort Challenge
Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex · San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Friday, April 15, 2022
RECORDS: USC (24-1), Loyola Marymount (22-5)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Reka ORSI TOTH/Megan RICE (LMU); 21-8, 14-21, 15-12
2. Megan KRAFT/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Marine KINNA/Avery POPPINGA (LMU); 19-21, 21-19, 15-8
3. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Selina MAROLF/Abbey THORUP (LMU); 21-13, 21-13
4. Macy GORDON/Vilhelmiina PRIHTI (LMU) def. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC); 21-18, 21-16 
5. Jacinda RAMIREZ/Isabelle REFFEL (LMU) def. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC); 21-16, 21-14
Order of finish: 3, 4, 5, 2, 1*