SOUTH BEACH, Fla. — The No. 2-ranked USC beach volleyball team (12-2) earned a 4-1 win over No. 8 Georgia State (16-3) in its first match of the fourth-annual FIU Surf and Turf Invitational at Lummus Park on Friday, April 1. The victory was the eighth straight for the Women of Troy, who earned victories at all but the No. 4 position.

Photo Courtesy | John McGillen

Junior Sophie Bukovec and senior Alexa Strange started USC off with a win at court two where the tandem defeated Nina Interwies and Katelyn Rawls, 21-13, 21-14. At the top court, junior Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes made short work of Jansen Button and Sara Olivova for a 21-7, 21-12 win and a 2-0 lead in the dual. For Claes and Hughes, it was their 42nd straight win together to push the duo to 17-0 on the season.

The clinching point came from the No. 3 position where juniors Nicolette Martin and Allie Wheeler topped Milani Pickering and Delaney Rohan, 21-17, in the first set. The Panther pair had other plans in set two and led most of the way, including at 20-19, but Martin and Wheeler fought on and earned the final three points for a 22-20 win and the clincher in the dual. It was Martin and Wheeler’s eighth straight win as a pair.

With the dual decided, courts four and five went to third sets. The Trojans added a fourth point from court five where sophomore Jo Kremer and senior Zoe Nightingale fought off a first-set loss to defeat Jessica Fourspring and Alexis Townsend, 17-21, 21-13, 15-7. The Panthers scored their only dual point from court four as Brooke Weiner and Natalie Wilson upended USC’s duo of sophomore Jenna Belton and freshman Abril Bustamante, 21-14, 14-21, 18-16.

The Women of Troy have just two hours to rest before they take on South Carolina (13-6) at 3 p.m. ET on the sands at Lummus Park. USC will conclude its first day of play in South Beach with a 5 p.m. PT match against Tulane (10-7). For a complete tournament schedule and live scores, visit www.FIUSports.com.

For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com and follow @USCBeach on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope, and Snapchat.

No. 2 USC 4, No. 8 Georgia State 1
Lummus Park • South Beach, Fla.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Records: USC (12-2), Georgia State (16-3)
1. Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Jansen Button/Sara Olivova (GSU); 21-7, 21-12
2. Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Nina Interwies/Katelyn Rawls (GSU); 21-13, 21-14
3. Nicolette Martin/Allie Wheeler (USC) def. Milani Pickering/Delaney Rohan (GSU); 21-17, 22-20
4. Brooke Weiner/Natalie Wilson (GSU) def. Jenna Belton/Abril Bustamante (USC); 21-14, 14-21, 18-16
5. Jo Kremer/Zoe Nightingale (USC) def. Jessica Fourspring/Alexis Townsend (GSU); 17-21, 21-13, 15-7
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3*, 5, 4