Friday, April 11
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
7:00 p.m. PT
USC
3
at
2
Cal Poly
Photo by: Jake Berg
No. 6 USC Beach Volleyball Stuns ‘Stangs on Senior Night
April 11, 2025 | Women's Beach Volleyball
The Women of Troy won their seventh straight dual with a 3-2 decision over No. 3 Cal Poly
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The sixth-ranked USC beach volleyball team (22-6) took down No. 3 Cal Poly (21-5) on the Mustangs' senior night with a 3-2 win at the Center of Effort Challenge at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex on Friday, April 11.
The Trojans registered their seventh straight win and improved to 11-0 all-time against the Mustangs.
In a thrilling three-set finish, the Trojans' southpaw duo of graduate Maya Gessner and junior Mabyn Thomas delivered the dual victory and moved to 6-0 together with a 23-21, 17-21, 15-11 win at the No. 4 position over Katie Clevenger and Elise Lenahan.
Cal Poly fired the first shot of the dual and took a 21-13, 21-13 win at the No. 5 position. There, USC employed its 31st different pairing of the season in sophomores Madison Goellner and Grace Hong. The duo fell to Ella Connor and Madison Nichols in their first match together.
The Cal Poly lead was short-lived as the Trojans clapped back to take a win at the No. 2 spot and evened the score. There, freshman Kennedy Coakley and sophomore Ashley Pater defeated Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter, 21-17, 21-14, to run their win streak to 18 consecutive matches, now the ninth longest streak in program history. Coakley and Pater improved to 22-2 on the season with the win.
The Mustangs went in front, 2-1, with a win at the No. 1 position as Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep put together a 21-16, 21-19 win over sophomore Zoey Henson and junior Madison White. Cal Poly claimed the dual lead as each of the next two matches moved to third sets.
At the No. 3 position, junior Delaney Karl and graduate Ella Larkin fought through to finish first and evened the dual, 2-2, with a 21-14, 18-21, 15-13 win over Quinn Perry and Lindsey Sparks. Karl-Larkin improved to 9-1 together with a seven-match win streak and sent all the attention to the No. 4 spot for the decisive finish.
The Women of Troy return to action on Saturday (April 12) in a 10:15 a.m. PT dual against No. 5 Stanford (22-7). The outcome of that dual will determine which finals match the Trojans will play in later in the afternoon/evening to conclude the CoE Challenge.
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCBeach.
No. 6 USC def. No. 3 Cal Poly, 3-2
Center of Effort Challenge
Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex · San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Friday, April 11, 2025
RECORDS: USC (22-6), Cal Poly (21-5)
1. Piper FERCH/Erin INSKEEP (CP) def. Zoey HENSON/Madison WHITE (USC); 21-16. 21-19
2. Kennedy COAKLEY/Ashley PATER (USC) def. Izzy MARTINEZ/Logan WALTER (CP); 21-17, 21-14
3. Delaney KARL/Ella LARKIN (USC) def. Quinn PERRY/Lindsey SPARKS (CP); 21-14, 18-21, 15-13
4. Maya GESSNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) vs. Katie CLEVENGER/Elise LENAHAN (CP); 23-21, 17-21, 15-11
5. Ella CONNOR/Madison NICHOLS (CP) def. Madison GOELLNER/Grace HONG (USC); 21-13, 21-13
Order of finish: 5, 2, 1, 3, 4*
The Trojans registered their seventh straight win and improved to 11-0 all-time against the Mustangs.
In a thrilling three-set finish, the Trojans' southpaw duo of graduate Maya Gessner and junior Mabyn Thomas delivered the dual victory and moved to 6-0 together with a 23-21, 17-21, 15-11 win at the No. 4 position over Katie Clevenger and Elise Lenahan.
Cal Poly fired the first shot of the dual and took a 21-13, 21-13 win at the No. 5 position. There, USC employed its 31st different pairing of the season in sophomores Madison Goellner and Grace Hong. The duo fell to Ella Connor and Madison Nichols in their first match together.
The Cal Poly lead was short-lived as the Trojans clapped back to take a win at the No. 2 spot and evened the score. There, freshman Kennedy Coakley and sophomore Ashley Pater defeated Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter, 21-17, 21-14, to run their win streak to 18 consecutive matches, now the ninth longest streak in program history. Coakley and Pater improved to 22-2 on the season with the win.
The Mustangs went in front, 2-1, with a win at the No. 1 position as Piper Ferch and Erin Inskeep put together a 21-16, 21-19 win over sophomore Zoey Henson and junior Madison White. Cal Poly claimed the dual lead as each of the next two matches moved to third sets.
At the No. 3 position, junior Delaney Karl and graduate Ella Larkin fought through to finish first and evened the dual, 2-2, with a 21-14, 18-21, 15-13 win over Quinn Perry and Lindsey Sparks. Karl-Larkin improved to 9-1 together with a seven-match win streak and sent all the attention to the No. 4 spot for the decisive finish.
The Women of Troy return to action on Saturday (April 12) in a 10:15 a.m. PT dual against No. 5 Stanford (22-7). The outcome of that dual will determine which finals match the Trojans will play in later in the afternoon/evening to conclude the CoE Challenge.
For more information on the USC beach volleyball team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/beach. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on X @USCBeach.
No. 6 USC def. No. 3 Cal Poly, 3-2
Center of Effort Challenge
Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex · San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Friday, April 11, 2025
RECORDS: USC (22-6), Cal Poly (21-5)
1. Piper FERCH/Erin INSKEEP (CP) def. Zoey HENSON/Madison WHITE (USC); 21-16. 21-19
2. Kennedy COAKLEY/Ashley PATER (USC) def. Izzy MARTINEZ/Logan WALTER (CP); 21-17, 21-14
3. Delaney KARL/Ella LARKIN (USC) def. Quinn PERRY/Lindsey SPARKS (CP); 21-14, 18-21, 15-13
4. Maya GESSNER/Mabyn THOMAS (USC) vs. Katie CLEVENGER/Elise LENAHAN (CP); 23-21, 17-21, 15-11
5. Ella CONNOR/Madison NICHOLS (CP) def. Madison GOELLNER/Grace HONG (USC); 21-13, 21-13
Order of finish: 5, 2, 1, 3, 4*
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
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