UCLA
USC
No. 1 UCLA Off to Best Start in School History
February 27, 2019 | Beach Volleyball
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LOS ANGELESย -- No. 1 UCLA ran its 2019 record to 6-0, its best start in school history, with its fifth-straight win over USC, 3-2, at Merle Norman Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Izzy Carey and sophomore Megan Muretย put the Bruins up 1-0 with a straight-set win on court five over USC's Cammieย Dorn and Mollie Ebertin, 22-20, 22-20. Carey hit .516 for the match with a court-high 21 kills. She also added 30 digs, had two blocks and one ace. Muretย hit .500 without an error with 11 kills on 22 swings and contributed 22 digs
USC tied it at 1-1 with a three-set win on court three by Haley Hallgren and Alexandra Poletto over junior Savvy Simo and sophomore Mac May, 21-15, 19-21, 15-12. May had a match-high-tying 20 kills and added seven digs, four blocks and two aces. Simo hit .500 with 11 kills and had a match-high 18 digs to go with one ace.
The Bruins reclaimed the lead at 2-1 on court four with a new pair, freshmen Abby Van Winkle and Lindsey Sparks, who was inserted into the lineup forย senior Zana Munoย after an undisclosed illness. The Bruin tandem won in straight sets over the Trojans' Joy Dennis and Maja Kaiser, 21-17, 21-17. Van Winkle had a match-high 17 kills while hitting a team-best .714. She also had seven digs. Sparks hit .526 with 11 kills and added eight digs and a match-high three aces.
The Trojans tied it up at 2-2 with a straight-set win on court one as Abrilย Bustamante and Tina Graudinaย defeated Megan McNamara and Nicole McNamara, 21-16, 21-18. Megan had 13 kills and hit .455 for the match with five digs, one block and one ace. Nicole chipped in seven kills, seven digs and two aces.
It all came down to court two, where the Bruins had the reigning Pac-12 Pair of the Week, junior Lily Justine and senior Sarah Sponcilย against Tereseย Cannon and Sammy Slater. The Bruin duo was too much for the Trojans, winning in straight sets, 21-18, 21-14. Justine had 14 killsย to go with 30 digs, two blocks and two aces. Sponcilย hit .500 with 11 kills and added 13 digs and two aces.
The Bruins return to action this weekend at the Pac-12 South Tournament at Bear Down Beach in Tucson, Ariz., March 2-3. UCLA will open with Arizona State at 8:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, March 2 and will end the day with Washington at 1:00 p.m. The Bruins will conclude play on Sunday, March 3 with a 9:15 a.m. PT tilt against No. 11 California. All three duals will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
No. 1 UCLA def. No. 2 USC, 3-2
Merle Norman Stadium โข Los Angeles, Calif.
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019
Records: UCLA (6-0), USCย (1-1)
1. Abril Bustamante/Tina Graudina (USC) def. Megan McNamara/Nicole McNamara (UCLA); 21-16, 21-18
2. Lily Justine/Sarah Sponcil (UCLA) def. Terese Cannon/Sammy Slater (USC); 21-18, 21-14
3. Haley Hallgren/Alexandra Poletto (USC) def. Mac May/Savvy Simo (UCLA); 21-15, 19-21, 15-12
4. Lindsey Sparks/Abby Van Winkle (UCLA) def. Joy Dennis/Maja Kaiser (USC); 21-17, 21-17
5. Izzy Carey/Megan Muret (UCLA) def. Cammie Dorn/Mollie Ebertin (USC); 22-20, 22-20
Order of finish:ย 5, 3, 4, 1, 2*
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