LOS ANGELES – The San Francisco sand volleyball team faced one of its toughest days in program history, taking on No. 1 Southern California and No. 14 Loyola Marymount in back-to-back contests at Merle Norman Stadium Thursday afternoon.

The Dons dropped both matches, but not without putting up a fight. Three-time Olympian Holly McPeak, member of the USC broadcast team, said of the USF squad after the day's first match, "I'm impressed, they've got some physicality … and a very bright future."

USC remains undefeated on the year, improving to 17-0 on the season after picking up two victories on the sand, defeating both the Dons and Lions. USF moves to 8-7 heading into the final weekend of the regular season, and Loyola Marymount now stands at 3-9 in dual match competition.

In USF's first match of the day, the Dons battled the nation's top squad and fell 5-0 at the hands of USC. In the No. 5 pairing of Jessica Keenan and Anja Segota opened the day with a strong first frame, with the score knotted at 13 apiece in the set. The Dons edged out to the 18-16 lead, but the Trojans came back to earn the advantage at 20-19. After trading points, Segota's floater again tied the score at 21-21. The Women of Troy eventually took the set 25-23 and went on to earn the match point.

In the top-billed match between the No. 1 pairings of Valentina Zaloznik and Courtney Sabahi against USC's Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes, the Dons used six aces in the first set to take the 21-18 victory. In the second, the Trojans returned the favor with a 21-18 decision. In the decisive third set, the frame started close with Zaloznik's chip shot down the line putting the score at 3-2 in favor of the Dons' duo. USC edged into the lead after Hughes' attack beat the block to put the home team up 5-3. The Trojan tandem would never trail again, closing the match with the 15-8 victory to secure the sweep.

USF returned to the sand for their second match of the day, taking on Loyola Marymount, ranked No. 14 in the DiG Magazine Collegiate Sand Volleyball Poll, for the first time in USF's sand program history. The Dons fell behind early, after succumbing in straight sets in the No. 4 position.

USF's No. 5 duo of Keenan and Segota continued their solid play on the day taking down Kristen Castellanos and Taylor Scioscia, 16-21, 21-16, 15-10. It would prove to be the Dons' lone point in the match after the points at No. 1 and No. 2 went to the Lions. In the final pairing to play on the sand, USF's Kiara McKibben and Oluoma Okaro battled Avery Bush and Anne Marie Taylor to three sets before suffering the narrow 15-13 defeat in the final frame of the day.

USF closes out the regular season in the USA Volleyball Collegiate Challenge, in another day of stiff competition on the sand. The Dons take on No. 4 Pepperdine and No. 6 Long Beach State on Saturday at Hermosa Beach. First serve for the Dons and Waves is slated for 10 a.m., with USF meeting up with the 49ers at 2 p.m.
 

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No. 1 USC 5, San Francisco 0
Merle Norman Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
No. 1 – Kelly Claes/Sara Hughes (USC) def. Courtney Sabahi/Valentina Zaloznik (USF); 18-21, 21-18, 15-8
No. 2 – Sophie Bukovec/Alexa Strange (USC) def. Jessica Gaffney/Sara Staengle (USF); 21-18, 21-11
No. 3 – Eve Ettinger/Meg Norton (USC) def. Kiara McKibben/Oluoma Okaro (USF); 21-10, 21-13
No. 4 – Jenna Belton/Nicolette Martin (USC) def. Katarina Pilepic/Emily Reed (USF); 21-10, 21-9
No. 5 – Bria Russ/Alexa Stonish (USC) def. Jessica Keenan/Anja Segota (USF); 25-23, 21-14
Order of finish: 4, 5, 3*, 2, 1
 
No. 14 Loyola Marymount 4, San Francisco 1
Merle Norman Stadium | Los Angeles, Calif.
No. 1 – Betsi Metter/Sarah Sponcil (LMU) def. Courtney Sabahi/Valentina Zaloznik (USF); 21-15, 21-5
No. 2 – Taylor Akana/Litara Keil (LMU) def. Jessica Gaffney/Sara Staengle (USF); 21-15, 21-17
No. 3 – Avery Bush/Anne Marie Taylor (LMU) def. Kiara McKibben/Oluoma Okaro (USF); 17-21, 21-15, 15-13
No. 4 – Rachelle Suaava/Hannah Tedrow (LMU) def. Katarina Pilepic/Emily Reed (USF); 21-18, 21-14
No. 5 – Jessica Keenan/Anja Segota (USF) def. Kristen Castellanos/Taylor Scioscia (LMU); 16-21, 21-16, 15-10
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2*, 3