UCLA
USC
No. 1 UCLA Advances to Pac-12 Final
April 28, 2018 | Beach Volleyball
The Bruins defeated No. 2 USC, 3-2, for the third time this season.
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STANFORD, Calif. -- No. 1 UCLA extended its school-record dual match winning streak to 29 on Saturday morning with a thrilling 3-2 win over No. 2 USC (24-11) in the Championship Winners Final of the 2018 Pac-12 Championship at Stanford's Beach Volleyball Stadium.
The Bruins, who improved to 34-3 on the year, return to action later today against the winner of No. 2 USC/No. 3 California in the title match of the 2018 Beach Volleyball Championship at 3:00 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.
The Bruins opened the dual with USC with a win on court four as senior Elise Zappia and freshman Mac May completed an epic comeback in set two. The Bruin duo defeated Jenna Belton and Maja Kaiser 21-16 in the first set, but trailed 20-15 in the second before ending the match on an 8-1 run and winning the second set, 23-21.
But USC got a huge win on court five from Alexandria Poletto and Haley Hallgren, 12-21, 21-17, 15-12, snapping junior Izzy Carey's and freshman Megan Muret's 28-match winning streak (a UCLA record) to tie the dual at 1-1.
Sophomores Madi Yeomans and Savvy Simo put the Bruins up 2-1 with a straight-set win over USC's Joy Dennis and Cammie Dorn, 21-19, 21-7 on court three.
Juniors Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara sealed dropped their second-straight match in three sets to the Trojans' Tina Graudina and Abril Bustamante, 21-13, 20-22, 15-9 to tie the match at 2-2.
Junior Sarah Sponcil and sophomore Lily Justine sealed the 3-2 victory on court two with a come-from-behind win over the Trojans' Terese Cannon and Sammy Slater, 19-21, 21-19, 15-12.
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 2 USC, 3-2
Stanford Beach Volleyball Stadium • Stanford, Calif.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Records: UCLA (34-3), USC (24-11)
1. Tina Graudina/Abril Bustamante (USC) def. Nicole McNamara/Megan McNamara (UCLA), 21-13, 20-22, 15-9
2. Lily Justine/Sarah Sponcil (UCLA) defMadi Yeomansnon/Sammy Slater (USC), 19-21, 21-19, 15-12
3. Savvy Simo/Madi Yeomans (UCLA) def. Joy Dennis/Cammie Dorn (USC), 21-19, 21-7
4. Elise Zappia/Mac May (UCLA) def. Jenna Belton/Maja KaisIzzy Carey21-16, 23-21
5. Alexandra Poletto/Haley Hallgren (USC) def. Izzy Carey/Megan Muret (UCLA), 12-21, 21-17, 15-12
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2*
