Saturday, May 4
Gulf Shores, Ala.
11:00 AM
USC
3
vs
0
Cal Poly
Photo by: Jamie Schwaberow / NCAA
No. 1 USC Beach Volleyball Advances to Seventh NCAA Championship Dual
May 04, 2024 | Women's Beach Volleyball
The Women of Troy defeated fifth-seeded Cal Poly to move into Sunday’s final
GULF SHORES, Ala. – The top-seeded and No. 1-ranked USC beach volleyball team (36-5) advanced to the NCAA championship dual for the seventh time following a 3-0 win over fifth-seeded and No. 6-ranked Cal Poly (31-7) in the NCAA tournament semifinals at Gulf Beach Place on Saturday, May 4.
The Trojans seek a fourth consecutive national title and own five of the seven previous NCAA championships (2016, '17, '21, '22, '23). USC improved to 10-0 in meetings with the Mustangs and moved to 30-4 in NCAA tournament duals. The Trojans are now 154-18 in duals when they are ranked No. 1 in the AVCA coaches' poll and improved to 37-8 in the state of Alabama. Across individual courts, USC moved to 94-32 in matches at the tournament.
The Women of Troy punched their ticket to the championship dual when freshman Ashley Pater and graduate Grace Seits fought through a 21-17, 28-26 win over Piper Naess and Logan Walter at court four. The USC duo improved to 11-1 together and have won four straight.
USC scored the first point of the dual from the top court where senior All-Americans Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple collected a 21-13, 21-16 win over Ella Connor and Izzy Martinez. Kraft-Maple improved to 35-4 on the season and to 63-7 all-time.
The Trojans went on top, 2-0, when twin graduates Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse finished off a 23-21, 21-17 win over Quinn Perry and Lindsey Sparks at the No. 3 position. The victory moved Nourse-Nourse to 31-7 on the season with an active eight-match win streak. In Gulf Shores, the twin sisters improved to 11-1 and have won nine straight matches at Gulf Beach Place.
At the No. 5 position, freshman Madison Goellner and sophomore Mabyn Thomas got a 21-16 win over Madi Nichols and Abbey Reinard in the first set, but split sets with a 21-19 loss in set two. At the No. 2 position, graduate Maddi Kriz and sophomore Madison White split sets with Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep and trailed the Mustangs in the third set, 21-19, 18-21, 10-13, when play was halted.
USC's win sets up a seventh meeting with crosstown rival UCLA in the championship dual. The teams split six regular-season and Pac-12 tournament meetings evenly. The Trojans and Bruins will clash in Gulf Shores for the sixth time and be shown on a live ESPN broadcast with first serve set for 10 a.m. CT (8 a.m. PT).
The Trojans lead the all-time series with UCLA, 26-20, and are 3-2 against UCLA at the NCAA tournament, which includes a 2-1 mark when the teams meet in the championship dual. This season, each USC-UCLA dual has pitted No. 1 against No. 2. This meeting will mark the 34th time that USC has played in a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup. In the previous 33 such duals, the Trojans are 18-15 with a 10-10 record when ranked No. 1 and an 8-5 mark when ranked No. 2.
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCBeach.
[1] No. 1 USC def. [5] No. 6 Cal Poly, 3-0
NCAA Championship · Semifinal
Gulf Beach Place · Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
RECORDS: USC (36-5), Cal Poly (31-7)
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Ella CONNOR/Izzy MARTINEZ (CP); 21-13, 21-16
2. Maddi KRIZ/Madison WHITE (USC) vs. Piper FERCH/Erin INSKEEP (CP); 21-19, 17-21, 10-13 DNF
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Quinn PERRY/Lindsey SPARKS (CP); 23-21, 21-17
4. Ashley PATER/Grace SEITS (USC) def. Piper NAESS/Logan WALTER (CP); 21-17, 28-26
5. Madison GOELLNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) vs. Madi NICHOLS/Abbey REINARD (CP); 21-16, 19-21 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4*
The Trojans seek a fourth consecutive national title and own five of the seven previous NCAA championships (2016, '17, '21, '22, '23). USC improved to 10-0 in meetings with the Mustangs and moved to 30-4 in NCAA tournament duals. The Trojans are now 154-18 in duals when they are ranked No. 1 in the AVCA coaches' poll and improved to 37-8 in the state of Alabama. Across individual courts, USC moved to 94-32 in matches at the tournament.
The Women of Troy punched their ticket to the championship dual when freshman Ashley Pater and graduate Grace Seits fought through a 21-17, 28-26 win over Piper Naess and Logan Walter at court four. The USC duo improved to 11-1 together and have won four straight.
USC scored the first point of the dual from the top court where senior All-Americans Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple collected a 21-13, 21-16 win over Ella Connor and Izzy Martinez. Kraft-Maple improved to 35-4 on the season and to 63-7 all-time.
The Trojans went on top, 2-0, when twin graduates Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse finished off a 23-21, 21-17 win over Quinn Perry and Lindsey Sparks at the No. 3 position. The victory moved Nourse-Nourse to 31-7 on the season with an active eight-match win streak. In Gulf Shores, the twin sisters improved to 11-1 and have won nine straight matches at Gulf Beach Place.
At the No. 5 position, freshman Madison Goellner and sophomore Mabyn Thomas got a 21-16 win over Madi Nichols and Abbey Reinard in the first set, but split sets with a 21-19 loss in set two. At the No. 2 position, graduate Maddi Kriz and sophomore Madison White split sets with Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep and trailed the Mustangs in the third set, 21-19, 18-21, 10-13, when play was halted.
USC's win sets up a seventh meeting with crosstown rival UCLA in the championship dual. The teams split six regular-season and Pac-12 tournament meetings evenly. The Trojans and Bruins will clash in Gulf Shores for the sixth time and be shown on a live ESPN broadcast with first serve set for 10 a.m. CT (8 a.m. PT).
The Trojans lead the all-time series with UCLA, 26-20, and are 3-2 against UCLA at the NCAA tournament, which includes a 2-1 mark when the teams meet in the championship dual. This season, each USC-UCLA dual has pitted No. 1 against No. 2. This meeting will mark the 34th time that USC has played in a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup. In the previous 33 such duals, the Trojans are 18-15 with a 10-10 record when ranked No. 1 and an 8-5 mark when ranked No. 2.
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCBeach.
[1] No. 1 USC def. [5] No. 6 Cal Poly, 3-0
NCAA Championship · Semifinal
Gulf Beach Place · Gulf Shores, Ala.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
RECORDS: USC (36-5), Cal Poly (31-7)
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Ella CONNOR/Izzy MARTINEZ (CP); 21-13, 21-16
2. Maddi KRIZ/Madison WHITE (USC) vs. Piper FERCH/Erin INSKEEP (CP); 21-19, 17-21, 10-13 DNF
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Quinn PERRY/Lindsey SPARKS (CP); 23-21, 21-17
4. Ashley PATER/Grace SEITS (USC) def. Piper NAESS/Logan WALTER (CP); 21-17, 28-26
5. Madison GOELLNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) vs. Madi NICHOLS/Abbey REINARD (CP); 21-16, 19-21 DNF
Order of finish: 1, 3, 4*