University Southern California Trojans
USC
Pac-12 Pairs Championship (1st/2nd Rd)
Claes and Hughes Advance to Pac-12 Championship Semifinal
April 28, 2016 | Women's Beach Volleyball
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Pairs and Team Bracket - Results Update
April 28, 2016
LOS ANGELES -- The top-seeded USC beach volleyball duo of juniors Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes and the Trojans' fifth-seeded tandem of junior Sophie Bukovec and senior Alexa Strange advanced through the first round of the inaugural Pac-12 Pairs' Championship at Merle Norman Stadium on Thursday, April 28. Claes and Hughes moved ahead to the semifinals while Bukovec and Strange advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated.
In the round of 16, Claes and Hughes made short work of Arizona State's team of Natalie Braun and Kwyn Johnson in a 21-5, 21-6 win. The Trojan tandem then defeated the eighth-seeded pair of Jianna Bonomi and Katarina Schulz of Arizona, 21-12, 21-7, in the quarterfinals. The pair of wins pushed Claes and Hughes out to a 38-0 record this season and extended their incredible winning streak to 63 consecutive matches.
Bukovec and Strange faced the 12th-seeded Oregon duo of Liz Brenner and Kacey Nady in their first-round match. The Trojan pair earned a 21-11, 21-14 win to advance to the quarterfinals. Up against the fourth-seeded Arizona State pair of Bianca Arellano and Whitney Follette, the Trojans dropped a tight first set, 21-19, but won the second, 21-19. The third went the way of the Devils, who put up a 15-11 win to snap Bukovec and Strange's 10-match winning streak.
Claes and Hughes will take on Arellano and Follette in the semifinal round at 10 a.m. PT on Friday (April 29). The Trojans and the Sun Devils will be shown live on Pac-12 Networks with Anne Marie Anderson and Holly McPeak on the call. The conference title match will be played at approximately 11 a.m. The top-ranked Trojans (26-2) begin the team portion of the championships at 1 p.m. against Oregon (2-8).
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, and Snapchat.
2016 PAC-12 PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP
Merle Norman Stadium • Los Angeles, Calif.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
ROUND OF 16
[1] Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. [16] Natalie Braun/Kwyn Johnson (ASU); 21-5, 21-6
[5] Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. [12] Liz Brenner/Kacey Nady (ORE); 21-11, 21-14
QUARTERFINALS
[1] Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. [8] Jianna Bonomi/Katarina Schulz (ARIZ); 21-12, 21-7
[4] Bianca Arellano/Whitney Follette (ASU) def. [5] Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC); 21-19, 19-21, 15-11
