Saturday, March 9
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
8:40 AM
USC
3
vs
2
Florida International vs. USC
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
No. 2 USC Fights Off No. 9 Florida International For 3-2 Win
March 09, 2019 | Women's Beach Volleyball, Features
The Women of Troy got a pair of three-set wins to clinch a 3-2 victory over the Panthers at the East Meets West Invitational
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. – The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (7-1) extended its winning streak to six consecutive duals with a hard-fought 3-2 win over No. 9 Florida International (5-1) at the East Meets West Invitational on Saturday, March 9, at the Manhattan Beach Pier.
The win was the Trojans' fifth all-time against the Panthers without a loss. The last time the teams met, USC won a 3-2 decision in Gulf Shores, Ala., at the 2018 NCAA championship (May 4).
In the only match to go two sets, senior Abril Bustamante and sophomore Tina Graudina made short work of Ali Denney and Abbie Hughes at the top court with a 21-12, 21-12 victory. It was the eighth straight victory for the top USC tandem and their 39th all-time. The Panthers equalized with the first three-set win of the day on court four. There, Lina Bernier and Erika Zembyla defeated junior Joy Dennis and sophomore Maja Kaiser, 21-10, in the first set, but were forced to a third after Dennis and Kaiser won the second, 21-18. The Panther duo clamped down and got a 15-10 win in the third.
USC went back in front with a win at the No. 2 position. Senior Terese Cannon and sophomore Sammy Slater took down Federica Frasca and Margherita Bianchin, 21-14, in the first, but dropped a narrow 23-21 decision in the second. Cannon and Slater fought for every point down the stretch to get a 16-14 win and give USC a 2-1 lead. FIU had a response and pulled even with a win at No. 5. Katie Friesen and Madison Besterfield took down junior Cammie Dorn and freshman Mollie Ebertin, 22-20, 14-21, 15-10, for the dual point.
The clinching point came from the No. 3 position where sophomore Haley Hallgren and senior Alexandra Poletto dropped a 25-23 first set to Dorina and Ronja Klinger, but fought back to get the match to a third set with a 21-19 win over the Panther sisters. In a back-and-forth third set, the USC tandem prevailed with a 15-13 win to maintain its perfect 8-0 mark on the season.
Up next, the Trojans face No. 19 TCU (5-3) at 1:30 p.m. PT in its second match of the day. USC plays No. 6 Louisiana State on Sunday, March 10, at 10 a.m. and then concludes the tourney with a rematch against No. 4 Florida State.
For more information on the three-time national champion USC beach volleyball team and a complete schedule, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No. 2 USC def. No. 9 Florida International, 3-2
East Meets West Invitational
Manhattan Beach Pier • Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Records: USC (7-1), Florida International (5-1)
1. Abril Bustamante/Tina Graudina (USC) def. Ali Denney/Abbie Hughes (FIU); 21-12, 21-12
2. Terese Cannon/Sammy Slater (USC) def. Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU); 21-14, 21-23, 16-14
3. Haley Hallgren/Alexandra Poletto (USC) def. Dorina Klinger/Ronja Klinger (FIU); 23-25, 21-19, 15-13
4. Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Joy Dennis/Maja Kaiser (USC); 21-10, 18-21, 15-10
5. Katie Friesen/Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Cammie Dorn/Mollie Ebertin (USC); 22-20, 14-21, 15-10
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2, 5, 3*
The win was the Trojans' fifth all-time against the Panthers without a loss. The last time the teams met, USC won a 3-2 decision in Gulf Shores, Ala., at the 2018 NCAA championship (May 4).
In the only match to go two sets, senior Abril Bustamante and sophomore Tina Graudina made short work of Ali Denney and Abbie Hughes at the top court with a 21-12, 21-12 victory. It was the eighth straight victory for the top USC tandem and their 39th all-time. The Panthers equalized with the first three-set win of the day on court four. There, Lina Bernier and Erika Zembyla defeated junior Joy Dennis and sophomore Maja Kaiser, 21-10, in the first set, but were forced to a third after Dennis and Kaiser won the second, 21-18. The Panther duo clamped down and got a 15-10 win in the third.
USC went back in front with a win at the No. 2 position. Senior Terese Cannon and sophomore Sammy Slater took down Federica Frasca and Margherita Bianchin, 21-14, in the first, but dropped a narrow 23-21 decision in the second. Cannon and Slater fought for every point down the stretch to get a 16-14 win and give USC a 2-1 lead. FIU had a response and pulled even with a win at No. 5. Katie Friesen and Madison Besterfield took down junior Cammie Dorn and freshman Mollie Ebertin, 22-20, 14-21, 15-10, for the dual point.
The clinching point came from the No. 3 position where sophomore Haley Hallgren and senior Alexandra Poletto dropped a 25-23 first set to Dorina and Ronja Klinger, but fought back to get the match to a third set with a 21-19 win over the Panther sisters. In a back-and-forth third set, the USC tandem prevailed with a 15-13 win to maintain its perfect 8-0 mark on the season.
Up next, the Trojans face No. 19 TCU (5-3) at 1:30 p.m. PT in its second match of the day. USC plays No. 6 Louisiana State on Sunday, March 10, at 10 a.m. and then concludes the tourney with a rematch against No. 4 Florida State.
For more information on the three-time national champion USC beach volleyball team and a complete schedule, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No. 2 USC def. No. 9 Florida International, 3-2
East Meets West Invitational
Manhattan Beach Pier • Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Records: USC (7-1), Florida International (5-1)
1. Abril Bustamante/Tina Graudina (USC) def. Ali Denney/Abbie Hughes (FIU); 21-12, 21-12
2. Terese Cannon/Sammy Slater (USC) def. Federica Frasca/Margherita Bianchin (FIU); 21-14, 21-23, 16-14
3. Haley Hallgren/Alexandra Poletto (USC) def. Dorina Klinger/Ronja Klinger (FIU); 23-25, 21-19, 15-13
4. Lina Bernier/Erika Zembyla (FIU) def. Joy Dennis/Maja Kaiser (USC); 21-10, 18-21, 15-10
5. Katie Friesen/Madison Besterfield (FIU) def. Cammie Dorn/Mollie Ebertin (USC); 22-20, 14-21, 15-10
Order of finish: 1, 4, 2, 5, 3*
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