California State University Northridge Athletics
California State University at Northridge
USC
CSUN Drops a Pair on Day One of Battle For Los Angeles
2/27/2026 3:33:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — CSUN Beach Volleyball endured a tough opening day of the Battle for Los Angeles on Friday, dropping a pair of 5-0 duals to No. 4 USC and Pepperdine at USC's Merle Norman Stadium.
USC (5-2) opened the day with a sweep over CSUN (0-2), using depth across all five flights to secure the victory.
The Trojans clinched the dual with straight-set wins at Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 before rallying at the top flight to complete the sweep. At No. 1, USC's Zoey Henson and Sarah Wood rebounded from a first-set loss to defeat CSUN's Hannah Heflin and Maleya Miles 18-21, 21-16, 15-5. Ashley Pater and Kennedy Coakley were dominant in a 21-10, 21-10 win over Tia Mendiola and Dylan Hall at No. 2.
Alana Embry and Quincy Stephens swept Jill Rodig and Zaria Henderson at No. 3 (21-9, 21-14), Kerry Keefe and Kaileigh Truslow defeated Haley Coggins and Daysha Halbert at No. 4 (21-16, 21-12), and Kyra Zaengle and Calinda Kok completed the sweep for USC, topping Phoebe Constable and Avar Rogers in the No. 5 pair (21-13, 21-11).
In the second dual of the day, Pepperdine (2-3) followed with a 5-0 victory over the Matadors, who slipped to 0-3 on the season. The dual followed the same formula as CSUN's season-opening loss to Concordia Irvine, which saw the Golden Eagles win all three pairs that went the distance.
The Waves claimed the clinching point at No. 4, where Ginevra Merlini and Emi Erickson posted a 21-16, 21-15 win over Coggins and Halbert.
At No. 2, Maddy Snow and Gabriella Perez rebounded from a first-set loss to edge Mendiola and Hall 16-21, 21-12, 19-17. Alice Jagielska and Sonia Mancuso outlasted Jill Rodig and Zaria Henderson 24-22, 19-21, 15-10 at No. 3, and Emma Bubelis and Deanie Woodruff held off Phoebe Constable and Ava Rogers 21-12, 19-21, 15-11 at No. 5.
Pepperdine's top pair of Emma Eden and Michaela Cyrani earned a straight-set (21-13, 21-9) victory over Heflin and Miles at No. 1.
HEAD COACH JEFF HALL SAID
"Long day, but a really good day of high-level volleyball. It's a nice opportunity to measure this program against some of the top programs in the country, and I thought the girls did really good. I thought we competed in moments. We just need to keep grinding and get better, but it was certainly a good day, and we'll get after it tomorrow."
UP NEXT
CSUN will play its final two matches of the Battle for LA on Saturday, taking on No. 8 LMU at 10 a.m. and Boise State at noon. Both matches will be held at the LMU Beach Volleyball Courts.
#4 USC 5, CSUN 0
#1. Zoey Henson/Sarah Wood (USC) def. Maleya Miles/Hannah Heflin (CSUN), 18-21, 21-18, 15-5
#2. Ashley Pater/Kennedy Coakley (USC) def. Tia Mendiola/Dylan Hall (CSUN), 21-10, 21-10
#3. Alana Embry/Quincy Stephens (USC) def. Jill Rodig/Zaria Henderson (CSUN), 21-9, 21-14
#4. Kerry Keefe/Kaleigh Truslow (USC) def. Haley Coggins/Daysha Halbert (CSUN), 21-16. 21-12
#5. Kyra Zaengle/Calinda Kok (USC) def. Phoebe Constable/Ava Rogers (CSUN), 21-13, 21-11
Exh. Macy Bolyard/Bella Satterwhite (USC) def. Natalia Brandlin/Natalie Gilbert (CSUN), 21-10, 21-13
PEPPERDINE 5, CSUN 0
#1. Emma Eden/Michaela Cyrani (PEPP) def. Maleya Miles/Hannah Heflin (CSUN), 21-13, 21-9
#2. Maddy Snow/Gabriella Perez (PEPP) def. Tia Mendiola/Dylan Hall (CSUN), 16-21, 21-12, 19-17
#3. Alice Jagielska/Sonia Mancusco (PEPP) def. Jill Rodig/Zaria Henderson (CSUN), 24-22, 19-21, 15-10
#4. Ginerva Merlini/Emi Erickson (PEPP) def. Haley Coggins/Daysha Halbert (CSUN), 21-16, 21-15
#5. Emma Bubelis/Deanie Woodruff (PEPP) def. Phoebe Constable/Ava Rogers (CSUN), 21-12, 19-21, 15-11
Exh. Julia Caruolo/Evie Doezema (PEPP) vs. Natalia Brandlin/Natalie Gilbert (CSUN), 21-12, 19-21, ended
#GoMatadors
