NCAA beach volleyball: USC caps weekend by beating UCLA; TCU, LSU stay unbeaten

This is a recap of a busy beach weekend, proof that the best NCAA volleyball teams are not afraid to schedule tough in the early season.

Most notably, fourth-ranked but two-time defending NCAA champion USC laid down the gauntlet by improving to 6-0 with a weekend-ending, 3-2 victory over No. 1 UCLA. It capped a weekend in which USC went 4-0 with 3-2 victories over No. 12 Cal and No. 7 Stanford and a 4-1 win over No. 16 Washington.

UCLA, which had won its first nine matches this young season, went 3-0 at home in the Pac-12 South Invitational, sweeping Oregon and Arizona State on Saturday before doing the same to Utah. Sunday the Bruins moved to USC.

From USC:

The Women of Troy have now won 42 consecutive duals dating back one year to March 5, 2022. The Trojans also improved to 78-11 all-time at Merle Norman Stadium and have won 13 straight home duals. USC goes to 22-14 all-time in duals against the Bruins and has won six straight over its crosstown rival.

UCLA took the first two points of the dual with wins at the Nos. 2 and 4 positions. On four, Olivia Bakos and Bailey Showalter went the distance but fell, 15-13, in the third to former Trojan Haley Hallgren and partner Rileigh Powers.

The comeback began at the top court where juniors Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple completed a 23-21, 21-18 win over Lexy Denaburg and Abby Van Winkle to improve to 6-0 on the season. Moments later, freshmen Delaney Karl and Gabby Walker evened the dual on their 21-18, 11-21, 15-10 win over Marlie Monserez and Jaden Whitmarsh at the No. 5 position.

Down to the third court, USC twin seniors Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse dropped the first set to Peri Brennan and Tessa Van Winkle, 21-15, but fought tooth and nail to take the second, 24-22. The third was tied 15 times but the sisters found themselves on the winning end of a 17-15 finish the take down the previously unbeaten Bruins.

TCU is 8-0 after the No. 3 Horned Frogs finished their weekend trip to Tampa by beating second-ranked Florida State before sweeping Tampa. On Saturday, TCU swept No. 10 Georgia State and FGCU.

Four Horned Frogs went 4-0: Daniela Alvarez, Maria Gonzalez, Hailey Hamlett and Tania Moreno. FSU on Saturday beat No. 6 Grand Canyon 4-1 and swept No. 11 Stetson….