USC won its first American Volleyball Coaches Association women’s sand volleyball championship today, defeating Long Beach State, 3-0, in the final and 4-1 in the semifinals at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
The top-ranked Trojans (28-0) clinched the final when their No. 1 team of sophomores Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes defeated seniors Delainey Aiger- Swesey and Chelsea Cabrajac, 21-7, 21-19.
USC’s No. 2 team of sophomore Sophie Bukovec and junior Alexa Strange opened the match by defeating freshman Anete Brinke and senior Tyler Jackson, 21-19, 21-14, avenging a loss in the semifinal.
The Trojans got their second point when their No. 5 team of freshman Jenna Belton and senior Bria Russ defeated redshirt freshman Rachel Nieto and freshman Sammee Thomas, 21-18, 17-21, 15-10.
USC’s No. 3 team of seniors Eve Ettinger and Meg Norton were leading sophomore Jenelle Hudson and senior Bre Mackie, 21-12, 13-9, when the match was suspended after the Trojans clinched the match.
The national champion was the 123rd in school history. This is the fourth year USC has fielded a sand volleyball team. The NCAA voted in October to begin conducting a Division I championship in sand volleyball in 2016.
The 49ers completed their season 17-7.
Following its semifinal loss to USC, the 49ers defeated fourth-ranked Pepperdine, 3-2, in the consolation final to reach the final.
