MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Saint Mary’s beach volleyball’s Lindsey Knudsen and Payton Rund earned the biggest victory of their careers Saturday when the Gaels’ No. 1 pair defeated the top pair of No. 1 USC, ending the Trojan duo’s 103-match winning streak, as the No. 15/RV Gaels participated in the USA Volleyball Beach Collegiate Challenge.
Knudsen and Rund handed No. 1/1 USC’s (25-0) Kelly Claes and Sarah Hughes their first loss in almost two years Saturday. The sophomores fell 21-13 in the first set but rebounded to win set two, 21-18. Then, in a thrilling tiebreaker that went extra points, the pair made history with a 17-15 set victory to win the match 2-1.