Women’s Beach Volleyball | April 26, 2024
TEMPE, Ariz. – The top-seeded USC beach volleyball team (31-5) was defeated, 3-2, by second-seeded UCLA (32-5) in the winner’s bracket final of the Pac-12 Championship at Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility on Friday, April 26. The loss sends the Women of Troy to the contender’s bracket where they face either third-seeded Stanford or sixth-seeded host Arizona State in the contender’s final at 1 p.m. PT for the right to play in the Pac-12 Championship dual (4 p.m.).
The loss ends a four-dual win streak for the Trojans, who fall to 25-20 all-time against UCLA (2-3 this season). USC goes to 26-8 in duals at the Pac-12 Championship with a 10-2 mark in the state of Arizona. The Trojans also go to 38-2 all-time in the Copper State and fell to 149-18 in duals when they are ranked No. 1.
The dual with the Bruins marked the 32nd time that USC has played in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 dual. In those, the Trojans go to 17-15 all-time. Against UCLA specifically, USC is now 6-7 in duals played in the Pac-12 Championship and an even 9-9 in all postseason meetings.
The Trojans scored the first point of the dual with a straight-set win at the No. 3 position. There, graduate twins Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse collected their 27th win of the season with a 21-18, 21-16 decision over Kenzie Brower and Jessie Smith. It was the 118th win all-time for the sister pair.
USC went in front, 2-0, on a three-set win by freshman Madison Goellner and sophomore Mabyn Thomas. There, the Texas-native tandem beat Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowski, 20-22, 21-17, 15-11. The Trojans had not previously been beaten this season when leading, 2-0. USC was 26-0 in such duals and last lost a dual after leading, 2-0, in 2021 (April 3, 2021; vs. Florida State).
UCLA picked up its first point at the top court in a three-set win where senior All-Americans Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple fell to Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaburg, 21-16, 18-21, 15-9. The dual went even when Peri Brennan and Devon Newberry sealed an 18-21, 21-12, 16-14 win over graduate Maddi Kriz and sophomore Madison White at the No. 2 position.
With all eyes on the No. 4 pairs, UCLA’s duo of Tessa Van Winkle and Jaden Whitmarsh got a 21-15, 21-14 win over USC’s freshman Ashley Pater and graduate Grace…
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