Match Stats
- #14 USC def. #11 CSUN 3-2, (25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 15-10)
- USC improves to 6-9, 5-7 MPSF
- CSUN falls to 10-6, 3-6 MPSF
- Hosted by CSUN
- Match Stats
The #14 USC men’s volleyball team has continued their winning streak to three after a five set thriller over #11 CSUN. This is the Trojans third win in a row, all to teams ranked above them (#6 Stanford, #9 Pepperdine and #11 CSUN).
The Trojans have finally started to turn their season around after starting it dismally. Despite the loss of Gianluca Grasso, their mid season addition to the team, USC is finding a way to win – using multiple new lineups along the way, keeping the team’s main core the same – Lucas Yoder, Andy Benesh, Lucas Lossone – but are trying out new players to see who will step up for the team.
USC stepped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the match, before faltering and allowing CSUN back in the match. This is the second match in a row that the Trojans have gone up, having to fight back in five to win the match.
In the first, USC used a 3-0 run to go up 10-7 while holding off a late set surge from the Matadors, then were trailing 10-12 in the second set before propelling ahead on a 5-0 run to go up 15-12 holding off CSUN the remainder of the set. In the second, the Trojans hit for .367.
Heading into the third and holding the lead, USC fell early to the Matadors, who were able to capitalize on an early run to win the set. In the fourth, CSUN got outplayed to start, as USC jumped to a 4-1 lead, but the Matadors fought to hang, tying the set at 7-7 before pushing forward to take the lead and the fourth, forcing a fifth and deciding set.
In the fifth, the match was tied up at three all, but the Trojans scored three in a row to go up 6-3 which was enough to keep them ahead the rest of the match, taking the victory with a final set score of 15-10.
The Trojans were led by Lucas Yoder, who earned last week’s VolleyMob National Player of the Week after helping USC to two victories over ranked opponents. Yoder posted 24 kills on a .395 hitting percentage, picking up three digs and two blocks. Lucas Lossone added another 12 kills for the Trojans, picking up three digs and six block assists. Andy Benesh also had a stellar match, putting down seven kills and 10 blocks while Woody Cook posted seven kills and 10 digs. In the back court, Matt Douglas picked up a match-best 11 digs.
For CSUN, Arvis Greene posted a match-best 25 kills, four digs and three blocks. Dimitar Kalchev added another 16 kills, six service aces and eight digs on the match.
Press Release
Courtesy of USC Athletics
Lucas Yoder had 24 kills while hitting .395 to help the No. 14-ranked USC men’s volleyball team hang on for a 25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 15-10 win at No. 11 Cal State Northridge in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match on Wednesday (Feb. 22).
It was the second match in a row where USC captured the first 2 sets before winning in 5 sets, after outlasting Pepperdine last week.
It also was USC’s third consecutive win, all over higher ranked teams (No. 6 Stanford and No. 9 Pepperdine), and gave Troy its first 3-match winning streak since the end of the 2015 season.
In avenging a 3-set sweep by CSUN at the Galen Center last month, the Trojans improved to 6-9 overall and 5-7 in the MPSF. The Matadors fell to 10-6 overall and 3-6 in the MPSF.
Lucas Lossone added 12 kills and 6 blocks for USC, while Andy Benesh had 7 kills and a match-best 10 blocks, Woody Cook had 7 kills and 10 digs and Matt Douglas had a match-leading 11 digs.
For Cal State Northridge, Arvis Greene had a match-high 25 kills (hitting .383), Dimitar Kalchev added 16 kills, 8 digs and 6 aces and Josiah Byers had 8 kills (hitting .500) and 5 blocks.
USC hit .274 to CSUN’s .254 and the Trojans had more blocks (13.0 to 9.0) and digs (40 to 31). But the Matadors served 7 aces to USC’s 2.
USC used a 3-0 run in the first set to build a 10-7 lead and held off a late charge by the Matadors. The Trojans were trailing 12-10 in the second set before scoring 5 consecutive points to forge ahead, 15-12, and built the lead to 22-16 before once again holding off a surge by CSUN (Troy hit .367 in the set). Cal State Northridge scored 4 of the first 5 points of the third set and steadily built on its lead. USC got out to a 4-1 edge in the fourth set, but CSUN tied it at 7-7 and then went on a 3-0 run to go up 13-10, a margin USC could not overcome while the Matadors hit .375. In the fifth set, USC scored 3 points in a row to move out to a 6-3 lead, all the margin it needed to capture the match.
USC next travels to No. 2 Long Beach State for an MPF match on Friday (Feb. 24) at 7 p.m. PT.
Press Release
Courtesy of CSUN
Down two sets to No. 14 USC, 11th-ranked CSUN battled back to force a fifth set before the Trojans pulled out a 15-10 win to take the MPSF match 3-2 Wednesday night at The Matadome.
Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 15-10 as USC improved to 6-9 overall and 5-7 in the MPSF. The loss drops the Matadors to 10-6 overall and 3-6 in conference play.
CSUN posted a 62-54 advantage in kills, behind Arvis Greene‘s match-high 25. The Matadors also out-aced the Trojans 7-2 as Dimitar Kalchev matched his career-high with six aces. USC won the defensive battle, scooping up 40 digs to CSUN’s 31 and out-blocking the Matadors 13.0-9.0.
Greene hit .383 on 47 swings to go with four digs and three blocks while Kalchev added 16 kills (.333) and a team-high eight digs to go with his six aces. Junior Josiah Byers was also effective out of the middle as he eight kills (.500) and five blocks.
Neither team hit particularly well in set one as the visitors pulled out a 25-22 win. The Trojans then hit .367 to CSUN’s .241 in taking a two-set lead.
The Matadors then turned the tables in set three, hitting .320 to USC’s .111. The set also showcased the serving of Kalchev who served five aces as CSUN built a 21-11 lead. Leading 24-13, the visitors saved five set points before a USC serve found the net.
Kalchev’s sixth ace of the match pulled CSUN even at 11 in the fourth set. The score was still tied at 20-20 when a Trojan hitting error was followed up by kills from Greene and Kalchev giving the Matadors a 23-20 lead. After USC pulled within 24-22, Kalchev sealed the win with a big swing on set point.
In the fifth, USC snapped a 3-3 tie with three straight points and CSUN could not recover. The Trojans built an 8-4 lead as the teams changed sides and eventually led by five at 10-5. A Greene kill pulled the Matadors within 12-10 but USC closed the match on a 3-0 run.
Lucas Yoder had 24 on .395 hitting to pace to Trojans.
CSUN continues its homestand Friday as the Matadors host Cal Baptist at 7 p.m.
Leave a Reply