USC’s Burnham, Sary to compete in sand volleyball tourney

A pair of Newport Harbor High products will be key players for USC, which will compete in the second American Volleyball Coaches Assn. Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championship tournament Friday through Sunday in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Former Sailors indoor standout Kirby Burnham teams with Stevi Robinson to form USC’s No. 1 pair, while 2012 Newport Harbor graduate Cinnamon Sary joins Katie Fuller on the school’s No. 2 team. The event will include team and individual pairs competition.

No. 4-ranked USC is seeded fourth and begin play in the eight-school, double-elimination team event on Friday against North Florida. The winner met Pepperdine at 11 a.m. PST. If USC wins twice on Friday, it will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, with the championship match to follow.

In team play, each school fields five doubles teams, with the winner needing three triumphs in the best-of-three rally-scoring sets.

The pairs competition will be held on Sunday.

Burnham and Robinson defeated a team representing the junior national beach team to win a recent exhibition tournament at USC.

— From staff reports