Women's Beach Volleyball | April 26, 2024

TEMPE, Ariz. – The top-seeded USC beach volleyball team (33-5) emerged from the contender's bracket with a 3-1 win over No. 3 Stanford (31-5) and a 3-0 victory over second-seeded UCLA (32-6) to claim its fifth Pac-12 Championship at the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility on Friday, April 26. With the league crown, the Trojans also earn the Pac-12's automatic berth into next week's NCAA Championship in Gulf Shores, Ala. (May 3-5).
 
The Women of Troy collected the program's fifth Pac-12 title (2016, '17, '19, '22) and the second under fifth-year head coach Dain Blanton. USC goes to 28-8 in duals at the Pac-12 Championship with a 12-2 mark in the state of Arizona. The Trojans also improved to 40-2 all-time in the Copper State and rose to 151-18 in duals when they are ranked No. 1.
 
Against the Cardinal, USC improved to 15-1 all-time and have won two subsequent meetings since falling to Stanford in Hawai'i on the first day of the spring season. The Trojans improved to 26-20 all-time against crosstown rival UCLA and evened the season series with the Bruins at three matches apiece. The dual with the Bruins was the 33rd time that USC has played in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 dual. In those, the Trojans go to 18-15 all-time. Against UCLA specifically, USC is now 7-7 in duals played in the Pac-12 Championship and 10-9 in all postseason meetings.
 
Following the conclusion of the championship tournament, the Trojans' top pair of All-American seniors Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple were named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team. The duo was 3-1 on the week and improved to 33-4 this season and to 61-7 all-time. The duo delivered the clinching point in the Trojans' 3-1 victory over Stanford when they defeated Xolani Hodel and Brooke Rockwell, 21-17, 17-21, 15-13. The had also split sets with UCLA's Maggie Boyd and Lexy Denaburg when play was stopped.
 
Twin graduates Audrey Nourse and Nicole Nourse were also named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team. The sisters were 4-0 in the tournament and scored the leadoff dual point against the Cardinal, 21-19, 19-21, 15-11, over Kelly Belardi and Chloe Hoffman; and overpowered Kenzie Brower and Jessie Smith, 21-13, 21-11, to put the Trojans on the board against the Bruins. The Nourse sisters improved to 29-7 on the season and rose to 120-23 with a six-match win streak heading into the NCAA tournament.
 
At the No. 4 position, freshman Ashley Pater and graduate Grace Seits finished the tournament with a 4-1 record. After dropping their first and only match in the morning, the duo came back and recorded back-to-back straight-set wins to improve to 9-1. Against the Cardinal, Pater-Seits defeated Kate Reilly and Clara Stowell, 21-15, 22-20, with a big second-set comeback after being down by four points on several occasions. Pater turned in the final kill from her court to seal the win over the Bruins. Her point completed a 21-17, 21-18 win for the Trojan duo over Tessa Van Winkle and Jaden Whitmarsh.
 
The Trojans' Texas-native duo of freshman Madison Goellner and sophomore Mabyn Thomas bounced back after dropping a 21-18, 21-17 decision to Stanford's Maya Harvey and Ashley Vincent to earn a big three-set win over UCLA's Ensley Alden and Natalie Myszkowski, 21-17, 16-21, 15-13, to put USC in front, 2-0, in the dual heading in the second flight of matches.
 
Graduate Maddi Kriz and sophomore Madison White did not finish matches in each of the Trojans' duals. They split sets with Ruby Sorra and Taylor Wilson of Stanford and did the same with Peri Brennan and Devon Newberry of UCLA.
 
The Women of Troy now await seeding into the NCAA Championship tournament. The NCAA's selection show is schedule to be shown live on NCAA.com on Sunday (April 28) at 8 a.m. PT.
 
For more information on the Pac-12 Championship including a complete schedule and results, please visit TheSunDevils.com. 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. [3] No. 3 Stanford, 3-1
Pac-12 Championship · Contender's Bracket Final
Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility · Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, April 26, 2024
RECORDS: USC (32-5), Stanford (31-5)
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) def. Xolani HODEL/Brooke ROCKWELL (STAN); 21-17, 17-21, 15-13
2. Maddi KRIZ/Madison WHITE (USC) vs. Ruby SORRA/Taylor WILSON (STAN); 18-21, 21-16 DNF
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Kelly BELARDI/Chloe HOFFMAN (STAN); 21-19, 19-21, 15-11
4. Ashley PATER/Grace SEITS (USC) def. Kate REILLY/Clara STOWELL (STAN); 21-15, 22-20
5. Maya HARVEY/Ashley VINCENT (STAN) def. Madison GOELLNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC); 21-18, 21-17 
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 1*
 
[1] No. 1 USC def. [2] No. 2 UCLA, 3-0
Pac-12 Championship · Championship Dual
Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility · Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, April 26, 2024
RECORDS: USC (33-5), UCLA (32-6)
1. Megan KRAFT/Delaynie MAPLE (USC) vs. Maggie BOYD/Lexy DENABURG (UCLA); 16-21, 21-17, 0-2 DNF
2. Maddi KRIZ/Madison WHITE (USC) vs. Peri BRENNAN/Devon NEWBERRY (UCLA); 19-21, 21-19, 3-3 DNF
3. Audrey NOURSE/Nicole NOURSE (USC) def. Kenzie BROWER/Jessie SMITH (UCLA); 21-13, 21-11
4. Ashley PATER/Grace SEITS (USC) def. Tessa VAN WINKLE/Jaden WHITMARSH (UCLA); 21-17, 21-18
5. Madison GOELLNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) def. Ensley ALDEN/Natalie MYSZKOWSKI (UCLA); 21-17, 16-21, 15-13
Order of finish: 3, 5, 4*