A warm, windy day turned into a brisk night at Merle Norman Stadium as USC beach volleyball weathered No. 16 GCU and No. 13 LSU at home, sweeping the Lopes and snatching a 3-2 victory from the Tigers.
Both MPSF Midseason Rumble matchups were challenging in their own right: against GCU, four of five flights were pushed to three sets, with the exception coming at the No. 4 spot for USC freshman Bella Satterwhite and graduate Kerry Keefe.
The Tigers were similarly feisty, as sophomore Camryn Chatellier and graduate Aubrey O’Gorman ground out a win over Satterwhite and Keefe in straight sets, 30-28, 21-18. LSU redshirt junior Emily Hellmuth and redshirt freshman Bella Lagemann came out on top in a back-and-forth battle (23-21, 20-22, 15-12) with USC senior Alana Embry and sophomore Quincy Stephens in the No. 3 spot.
But the Trojans’ top duos showcased their consistency when it mattered most. Junior Ashley Pater and sophomore Kennedy Coakley remained undefeated since moving to the No. 2 spot, notching another straight set victory, 21-18, 21-19. Junior Zoey Henson and freshman Sarah Wood put together quick 21-14, 21-18 wins as the top pair, while freshman Kyra Zaengle and sophomore Calinda Kok dominated the fives, 21-15, 21-17.
The Trojans came into the second day of the Midseason Rumble having already swept No. 10 Cal and Oregon on Friday. The Golden Bears proved a tough opponent, as four of those five flights were settled in three sets. Against Oregon, only Embry and Stephens saw a third set in a battle they won 21-14, 22-24, 15-12.
USC remains undefeated at Merle Norman Stadium this season, but the team will be away until its April 16 matchup against No. 2 UCLA. The road trip begins next weekend, as the Trojans travel to Pompano Beach, Florida to play in the Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational, set to begin on March 14.