No. 3 UCLA Falls to No. 1 USC, 3-1

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TUCSON, Ariz. -- No. 3 UCLA (30-6) dropped the winner's bracket final of the 2022 Pac-12 Championship to top-ranked and top-seeded USC, 3-1, on Thursday afternoon at Arizona's Bear Down Beach. UCLA fell to 14-19 all-time against the Trojans.

UCLA's Natalie Myszkowski and Sophie Moore (27-5) had little trouble with USC's Mollie Ebertin and Sunny VIllapando, 21-11, 21-14, to put the Bruins up 1-0.

USC began the rally when Julia Scoles and Delaynie Maple defeated UCLA's Lea Monkhouse and Jessie Smith (9-3), winning 21-16, 22-20 on court three to tie the dual at 1-1.

Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward put USC up 2-1 with a hard-fought 21-17, 23-21 win on court one over the Bruins' Lexy Denaburg and Abby Van Winkle (22-8).

The Trojans clinched the dual on court four where Audrey and Nicole Nourse defeated UCLA's Marlie Monserez and Rileigh Powers, handing them their first loss of the year (10-1), 21-18, 21-16.

UCLA's Devon Newberry and Jaden Whitmarsh (26-5) were unable to finish their match with Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater, but they were leading 15-21, 22-20, 2-0, on court two.

The second-seeded Bruins return to action tomorrow in the contender's bracket final at 11:00 a.m. PT where they will face the winner of No. 4 California and No. 6 Arizona State on the Pac-12 Networks. The winner of that dual will face No. 1 USC for the 2022 Pac-12 Championship at 2:00 p.m. PT.

No. 1 USC def. No. 3 UCLA, 3-1
Bear Down Beach • Tucson, Ariz.
Thursday, Apr. 28, 2022 • 3:15 PM PT
Records: UCLA (30-6), USC (31-1)
1. Tina Graudina/Hailey Harward (USC) def. Lexy Denaburg/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) 21-17, 23-21
2. Jaden Whitmarsh/Devon Newberry (UCLA) vs. Megan Kraft/Sammy Slater (USC) 15-21, 22-20, 2-0, DNF
3. Julia Scoles/Delaynie Maple (USC) def. Lea Monkhouse/Jessie Smith (UCLA) 21-16, 22-20
4. Audrey Nourse/Nicole Nourse (USC) def. Marlie Monserez/Rileigh Powers (UCLA) 21-18, 21-16
5. Natalie Myszkowski/Sophie Moore (UCLA) def. Mollie Ebertin/Sunny Villapando (USC) 21-11, 21-14
Order of finish: 5, 3, 1, 4*