USC beach volleyball reclaimed it's No. 1 ranking on Monday after taking down LMU and previously top-ranked Pepperdine at the USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge last weekend. Leading the way for the Women of Troy were Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes, who became the first-ever conference duo to win two Pac-12 Pair of the Week awards in a single season after going 5-0 against LMU and Pepperdine, and 3-0 in the pairs' gold bracket.
The Trojans got off to a fast start last weekend, defeating LMU 5-0 for their 10th sweep this season. Among the highlights of the day was Sophie Bukovec and Alexa Strange's efficient, 21-11, 21-7 victory - the pair's 50th all-time victory.
On Saturday, the Women of Troy battled back from a 2-1 deficit to claim their 15th straight win in the third set of the final match against Pepperdine. USC and Pepperdine traded points early, with Claes and Hughes, along with Jenna Belton and Abril Bustamante, winning on courts one and four to tie the score at four. Nicolette Martin and Allie Wheeler rallied after dropping their first set to push the Trojans past the Waves and back atop the national rankings.
Claes and Hughes are now 27-0 on the year and boast an astounding 52-match winning streak. They are the fourth Trojan duo this season to win Pac-12 Pair of the Week honors.
The Trojans will look to defend their ranking and wrap up their regular season home schedule with a big rematch against Pepperdine this Thursday at 4:30 p.m. PT. The dual will also be Senior Day for Alexa Strange Emily Young. The game will be held at Merle Norman Stadium and also broadcast on Pac-12 Networks.
