UCLA
USC
Bruins Close the Gap on USC, Fall 3-2
May 01, 2016 | Beach Volleyball
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LOS ANGELES -- Fourth-ranked and second-seeded UCLA (19-5) closed the gap on No. 1 USC (29-2), taking its first-ever points off the Trojans before falling 3-2 in the winner's bracket semifinals of the Pac-12 Championships on Sunday morning at USC's Merle Norman Stadium.
The Trojans won the first point on court five when former Bruin Zoe Nightingale and Jo Kremer defeated UCLA's pair of senior Julie Consani and junior Laurel Weaver, 21-13, 23-21.
The Bruins won their first point against USC on court four as the tandem of freshman Zana Muno and junior Jessyka Ngauamo defeated the Trojans' Jenna Belton and Abril Bustamante in three sets, 18-21, 22-20, 15-11.
UCLA's duo of sophomore Elise Zappia and freshman Izzy Carey gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead with a straight-set victory over USC's Nicolette Martin and Allie Wheeler, 21-18, 21-13.
The Trojans tied it at 2-2 on court one as Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes defeated UCLA's freshman duo of Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara in straight sets, 21-17, 21-19.
USC sealed the win on court two when Sophie Bukovec and Alexa Strange defeated the Bruins' duo of senior Kamila Tan and sophomore Ivey Schmitt in straight sets, 21-19, 21-16, to provide the 3-2 final.
The Bruins return to action this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. where they will face the winner of No. 3 Arizona and No. 7 Washington in the contender's bracket final. The winner of that match will face No. 1 USC for the Pac-12 Championship.
No. 1 USC 3, No. 4 UCLA 2 - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - Los Angeles
#1 - Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA) 21-17, 21-19
#2 - Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Kamila Tan/Ivey Schmitt (UCLA), 21-19, 21-16
#3 - Izzy Carey/Elise Zappia (UCLA) def. Nicolette Martin/Allie Wheeler (USC), 21-18, 21-13
#4 - Jessyka Ngauamo/Zana Muno (UCLA) def. Jenna Belton/Abril Bustamante (USC), 18-21, 22-20, 15-11
#5 - Zoe Nightingale/Jo Kremer (USC) def. Laurel Weaver/Julie Consani (UCLA) 21-13, 23-21
Order of finish: 5, 4, 3, 1, 2*
