Women of Troy improve season record to 5-1


Loyola Marymount proved to be no match for the Women of Troy, as the sand volleyball team defeated the Lions 5-0 at Annenberg’s Community Beach House on Saturday. The win improved USC’s record to 5-1, and dropped Marymount to 0-3.

It was the second time the Trojans defeated the Lions, as both teams met earlier this month in a momentous first match for both schools in USC’s brand-new NCAA sport. USC also took the win that day, winning every single match in a 5-0 sweep over the Lions.

In Saturday’s second matchup between the two teams, USC did not drop a single set during the morning’s team games and won all five matches in doubles play.

USC’s No. 4 team of senior Kendall Bateman and sophomore Sam Hirschmann took the first win with a 21-8, 21-10 score, and USC’s squad of freshman Kati Duddridge and graduate student Megan Thornberry quickly followed, defeating the Lions 21-7 and 21-11.

USC’s No. 1 team of sophomore Sarah Shaw and graduate student Geena Urango then defeated Marymount’s Litara Keil and Betsi Metter with scores of 21-12 and 22-20.

The afternoon’s pairs tournament saw Shaw and Urango defeat Bateman and Hirshmann in the quarterfinals with scores of 21-15, 21-17.

They went on to win their next two matches in the  semi-finals and finals, ultimately defeating USC sophomore Kirby Burnham and graduate student Kelly Irvin to claim the doubles championship of the day.

Loyola Marymount’s only victory of the match came in the pairs quarterfinals, with Marymount’s Keil and Metter beating USC’s Duddridge and Thornberry with scores of 21-19 and 22-20.

USC next visits Pepperdine on April 7, and will prepare to compete in the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge in the coming weeks.