LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (21-0) took down Washington (1-1) in the teams’ first-ever meeting on Friday (April 7) at Merle Norman Stadium. The Women of Troy won their 51st straight dual and did so when seniors Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes clinched the win at the top court with a 21-8, 21-17 victory over Crissy Jones and Cassie Strickland for their 100th consecutive win together. Claes and Hughes improved to 119-3 overall.
The Trojans got on the board first with a straight-set win at the bottom of the lineup. There, juniors Jenna Belton and Jo Kremer posted a 21-12, 21-12 result over Lindsay Chalmers and Avie Niece. USC tacked up a second point from court four as freshman Joy Dennis and sophomore Becca Dunn lined up a 21-17, 23-21 win over Anna Crabtree and Melanie Wade.
Claes and Hughes sealed the dual for the Trojans next, but junior Terese Cannon and senior Nicolette Martin added a fourth point from court three on a 21-15, 21-16 win over Carly DeHoog and Shayne McPherson. In the dual’s only match to go three sets, the Huskies scored with a 16-21, 21-16, 15-10 win as Destiny Julye and Courtney Schwan took down seniors Sophie Bukovec and Allie Wheeler at court two.
Up next, the Women of Troy take on Arizona State (9-11) at Merle Norman Stadium. For more information on the two-time national champion USC beach volleyball team and a complete schedule, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Instagram, and Snapchat.
- No. 1 USC def. Washington, 4-1
- Merle Norman Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
- Friday, April 7, 2017
Records: USC (21-0), Washington (1-1)
- Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Crissy Jones/Cassie Strickland (UW); 21-8, 21-17
- Destiny Julye/Courtney Schwan (UW) def. Sophie Bukovec/Allie Wheeler (USC); 16-21, 21-16, 15-10
- Terese Cannon/Nicolette Martin (USC) def. Carly DeHoog/Shayne McPherson (UW); 21-15, 21-16
- Joy Dennis/Becca Dunn (USC) def. Anna Crabtree/Melanie Wade (UW); 21-17, 23-21
- Jenna Belton/Jo Kremer (USC) def. Lindsay Chalmers/Avie Niece (UW); 21-12, 21-12
Order of finish: 5, 4, 1*, 3, 2
No. 1 USC Sweeps No. 15 Arizona State in Second of Back-to-Back Duals
The Women of Troy improved to 22-0 and pushed their winning streak to 52 matches in a win over the Sun Devils
LOS ANGELES – The No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (22-0) went down the line for a 5-0 sweep of 15th-ranked Arizona State (9-12) at Merle Norman Stadium on Friday, April 7. The Women of Troy remained undefeated and increased their record-winning streak to 52 consecutive duals. The Trojans also pushed their home winning streak to 12 consecutive duals at Merle Norman Stadium and increased their all-time record on home sand to 38-4.
Juniors Jenna Belton and Jo Kremer fired the first shot for the Trojans with a 21-14, 21-12 win at court four over Sage Patchell and Mia Rivera. It was the fourth straight win for the duo, which improved to 24-3 on the season. At court five, sophomore Katrina Kernochan and freshman Lainy Thomas picked apart Kwyn Johnson and Sydney Palmer to turn a 21-13, 21-12 win into a 2-0 lead for USC.
The clinching point came from court three where freshman Joy Dennis and senior Allie Wheeler teamed to take down Katelyn Carballo and Ellyson Lundberg, 21-15, 21-14. The duo, which played together for the first time last weekend, improved to 6-0. At court two, junior Terese Cannon and senior Nicolette Martin scored a 4-0 lead for the Trojans with a 21-17, 21-14 win over Madison Berridge and Oluoma Okaro. For Cannon and Martin, it was their 21st win this season and fifth straight. They are now 21-6 overall.
USC’s fifth point was the hardest earned of them all. In a dog fight at the top court, seniors Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes were pushed to the edge and nearly had their 100-match winning streak snapped by Bianca Arellano and Whitney Follette, but the duo responded after losing the first set, 21-17, to win the second, 21-12. The Trojan pair was down, 10-8, in the third, but fought back to knot the score before going on to win, 15-13, for their 101st straight victory and 120th all-time.
The Women of Troy are back in action tomorrow morning (April 8) at the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge at the Manhattan Beach Pier. USC faces Loyola Marymount (7-8) at 9 a.m. PT and then will meet No. 15 Arizona State (9-12) for the second time at 11:45 a.m. The Trojans wrap the five-match weekend with a 3:30 p.m. meeting against Saint Mary’s College (14-4). For more information and updated scores, please visit TeamUSA.org.
For more information on the two-time national champion USC beach volleyball team and a complete schedule, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Instagram, and Snapchat.
No. 1 USC def. No. 15 Arizona State, 5-0
- Merle Norman Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
- Friday, April 7, 2017
- Records: USC (22-0), Arizona State (9-12)
- Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Bianca Arellano/Whitney Follette (ASU); 17-21, 21-12, 15-13
- Terese Cannon/Nicolette Martin (USC) def. Madison Berridge/Oluoma Okaro (ASU); 21-17, 21-14
- Joy Dennis/Allie Wheeler (USC) def. Katelyn Carballo/Ellyson Lundberg (ASU); 21-15, 21-14
- Jenna Belton/Jo Kremer (USC) def. Sage Patchell/Mia Rivera (ASU); 21-14, 21-12
- Katrina Kernochan/Lainy Thomas (USC) def. Kwyn Johnson/Sydney Palmer (ASU); 21-13, 21-12
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3*, 2, 1
Volleyball News Courtesy: USC Athletics
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