Women's Beach Volleyball | April 29, 2022

TUCSON, Ariz. – The top-seeded and No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (32-1) won its fourth Pac-12 Championship on a 3-0 sweep of No. 2-seed and No. 3-ranked UCLA (31-7) in the Championship Dual on Bear Down Beach, Friday, April 29.
 
The Women of Troy extend their winning streak to 31 duals—the second longest streak in program history—and improved to 20-14 all-time against UCLA. USC goes to 32-1 in matches played in the state of Arizona and to 22-5 all-time in Pac-12 tournament duals.
 
The final was played in two flights with the Nos. 2 and 4 pairs first. Both matches were back and forth and tightly contested, but the Trojans prevailed to seize momentum.
 
At No. 4, Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse won their seventh straight match on a 21-19, 21-17 win over Marlie Monserez and Rileigh Powers to improve to 23-4 this season, 57-10 all-time. USC went on top, 2-0, when Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater collected a 23-21, 21-18 win over Devon Newberry and Jaden Whitmarsh at court two. Kraft-Slater are now 23-0 on the season with a 23-match win streak going.
 
All three odd-numbered pairs took the court at the same time for the second flight of matches. Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando won their first set over Sophie Moore and Natalie Myszkowski, 21-12, at the No. 5 position. At No. 3, Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles went 21-15 in the first set against Lea Monkhouse and Jessie Smith. The Bruins claimed the first set at the top court where Lexy Denaberg and Abby Van Winkle won, 21-18, against Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward.
 
In the end, only one pair was able to finish. Scoles scored the final point of the dual to seal a 21-15, 21-17 win at court three. Graudina-Harward led Denaberg-Van Winkle, 14-13, in the second when play was halted. At court five, Ebertin-Villapando almost scored the clincher with a 20-15 lead over Moore-Myszkowski at the time of suspension.
 
Graudina-Harward and Maple-Scoles were each named to the six-pair Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.
 
USC's win at the Pac-12 Championship secures an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship set to be played in Gulf Shores, Ala., next week (May 4, 6-8). The NCAA's selection show will be shown live on NCAA.com at 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 30. The Trojans—winners of four national championships—are the defending NCAA champions.
 
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.
 
[1] No. 1 USC def. [2] No. 3 UCLA, 3-0
Pac-12 Championship · Championship Dual
Bear Down Beach · Tucson, Ariz.
Friday, April 29, 2022
RECORDS: USC (32-1), UCLA (31-7)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) vs. Lexy DENABERG/Abby VAN WINKLE (UCLA); 18-21, 14-13 DNF
2. Megan KRAFT/Sammy SLATER (USC) def. Devon NEWBERRY/Jaden WHITMARSH (UCLA); 23-21, 21-18
3. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Lea MONKHOUSE/Jessie SMITH (UCLA); 21-15, 21-17
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Marlie MONSEREZ/Rileigh POWERS (UCLA); 21-19, 21-17
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) vs. Sophie MOORE/Natalie MYSZKOWSKI (UCLA); 21-12, 20-15 DNF
Order of finish: 4, 2, 3*