Dawgs Hang Tough But No. 1 Trojans Keep Streaking

Friday, April 7

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:00 PM

University of Washington

USC

April 07, 2017 | Beach Volleyball

By: UW Athletic Communications

LOS ANGELES – In just their second match of the season, the Huskies got a look at the best, taking on defending national champion and current No. 1 USC on their home courts this evening. Also playing down one of their top players, Washington still hung in with the Trojans and closed things out with a big victory on court two to make the final margin 4-1 for USC.

The Trojans won for the 51st straight time and moved their 2017 record to 21-0 while the Huskies dropped to 1-1 after the first ever meeting between the two teams on the beach. Washington played without Tia Scambray, out with an illness, so all five Husky pairs were teaming together for the first time, a tough recipe against the defending champs.

Still, Destiny Julye and Courtney Schwan came through with a three set victory in their first match together over USC's No. 2 duo of Bukovec and Wheeler. Julye and Schwan lost the first set, 16-21, but came back with a 21-16 second set win and then claimed set three, 15-10.

With Scambray out, Cassie Strickland moved up to pair with Crissy Jones at the No. 1 spot to try and topple USC's Claes and Hughes, the Pac-12 champs and winners of 99 matches in a row. But the Trojans got to 100 although Jones and Strickland began to find a better rhythm together in the second set. Claes and Hughes got the win, 21-8, 21-17.

Melanie Wade and Anna Crabtree nearly forced a third set at the No. 4 match, but USC's Dennis and Dunn held on for a 21-17, 23-21 victory. Carly DeHoog and Shayne McPherson also kept things close at No. 3 against Cannon/Martin but came up short, 21-15, 21-16. Lindsay Chalmers played with Avie Niece in her first ever beach appearance at No. 5, dropping a 21-12, 21-12 match to Belton and Kremer.

The Dawgs will have two more highly ranked squads to test them on Saturday in Santa Monica. The Huskies face Long Beach State at 10 a.m. and then UCLA at 12 noon.

Washington Beach Volleyball
April 7, 2017 – Los Angeles
Merle Norman Stadium

#1 USC – 4
Washington – 1

1. Claes/Hughes (USC) def. Jones/Strickland (Wash); 21-8, 21-17
2. Julye/Schwan (Wash) def. Bukovec/Wheeler (USC); 16-21, 21-16, 15-10
3. Cannon/Martin (USC) def. DeHoog/McPherson (Wash); 21-15, 21-16
4. Dennis/Dunn (USC) def. Crabtree/Wade (Wash); 21-17, 23-21
5. Belton/Kremer (USC) def. Chalmers/Niece (Wash); 21-12, 21-12
Order of finish: 5, 4, 1*, 3, 2