Women's Beach Volleyball | May 08, 2022

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The top-seeded and No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (37-1) secured back-to-back NCAA Championships and the program's fifth all-time national crown by defeating fifth-seeded No. 4 Florida State (33-11) by a 3-1 count in the championship dual on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8.
 
The championship is USC's 134th all-time and the 36th national crown won by the Women of Troy. 
 
USC made its fifth appearance in the NCAA championship dual and won its fourth NCAA title. The Trojans' completed the season with a 36-dual win streak intact and won back-to-back titles for the second time (2016-17, 2021-22). 
 
The Trojans improved to 18-5 all-time against the Seminoles and have won five straight over Florida State. USC also improves to 23-4 all-time in duals at the NCAA Championship and to 30-8 in matches played in Gulf Shores.
 
With the championship dual played in split flights, USC scored the first point of the day with a win at the No. 4 position when Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourseclaimed a 21-18, 21-16 win over Morgan Chacon and Jordan Polo. It was the 10th win in a row for the twin sisters who improve to 62-10 all-time. 
 
Florida State needed every last point of a three-setter at court two to even the score. There, Alaina Chacon and Madison Fitzpatrick defeated Megan Kraft and Sammy Slater, 14-21, 24-22, 17-15. Slater completes her collegiate career with a 118-31 all-time record to rank eighth in school history. 
 
In the second flight of matches, USC claimed first sets on the odd-numbered courts and quickly took command. At the top court, Tina Graudina and Hailey Harward knocked off Maddie Anderson and Brook Bauer, 21-17, 21-15, for their 30th consecutive victory (the second longest streak in program history) to give the Trojans a 2-1 lead in the dual. Graudina-Harward finish the season 31-1 overall and Graudina completes her collegiate career with 122 wins and 9 losses to rank alone in sixth all-time at USC.
 
The clinching point came from the No. 3 pair where Delaynie Maple and Julia Scoles fought through a 25-23 first set and then claimed a big 21-12 win in the second over Anna Long and Kate Privett. Maple-Scoles won their eighth straight match and finish the season 36-1 overall; the 12th most wins by a pair in USC history.
 
Play was suspended when the dual was clinched. At No. 5, Mollie Ebertin and Sunny Villapando claimed a 21-15 win over Caitlin Moon and Raelyn White in the first set, but trailed the Seminole pair, 19-16, in the second when play was halted.
 
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. [5] No. 4 Florida State, 3-1
NCAA Championship · Championship Dual
Gulf Shores Beach · Gulf Shores, Ala.
Sunday, May 8, 2022
RECORDS: USC (37-1), Florida State (33-11)
1. Tina GRAUDINA/Hailey HARWARD (USC) def. Maddie ANDERSON/Brook BAUER (FSU); 21-17, 21-15
2. Alaina CHACON/Madison FITZPATRICK (FSU) def. Megan KRAFT/Sammy SLATER (USC); 14-21, 24-22, 17-15
3. Delaynie MAPLE/Julia SCOLES (USC) def. Anna LONG/Kate PRIVETT (FSU); 25-23, 21-12
4. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Morgan CHACON/Jordan POLO (FSU); 21-18, 21-16
5. Mollie EBERTIN/Sunny VILLAPANDO (USC) vs. Caitlin MOON/Raelyn WHITE (FSU); 21-15, 16-19 DNF
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 3*