USC Tops Sacred Heart In Five Set Comeback

  0 Carly DeMarque | March 21st, 2017 | College - Men's Indoor, EIVA, MPSF, News

Match Stats

  • #12 USC def. Sacred Heart 3-2, (23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22, 18-16)
  • USC improves to 10-12
  • Sacred Heart falls to 12-6
  • Hosted by USC
  • Match results

The meeting between USC and Sacred Heart was the first ever for the two programs, with the Trojans stealing a comeback five set victory over the Pioneers. The win marks the fourth consecutive victory for USC.

The Trojans were once again without Lucas Yoder, who is still battling an abdominal strain.

The first two sets of the match fell by the way of Sacred Heart, to take the early 2-0 lead over the Trojans; however, USC didn’t roll over to drop the third, keeping themselves alive. The Pioneers struggled to keep their set lead over USC, finding themselves in a five and deciding set.

The fifth set was a tight race to the finish, with the score being tied at 9-9, 12-12, 14-14 and late 16-16 before the Trojans rattled off two points in a row to take the match.

Leading the way for the Trojans was Lucas Lossone with 15 kills and three blocks, followed by Andy Benesh with 14 kills on a .538 hitting percentage, two aces and eight blocks – three of which were solo blocks. Two players were able to pick up double-digit digs, Gianluca Grasso and Matt Douglas each recorded 10 digs.

For Sacred Heart, five players posted double-digit kills – Christopher DeLucie (18), Emerson Waumans (16), Michael Comens (14), Doug Dzema (10) and Taylor Bloomquist (10). Setter Eduardo Zardo recorded a double-double with 49 assists and 10 digs, while Joshua Ayzenberg picked up a match-best 16 digs.

Press Release

Courtesy of USC Athletics

Lucas Lossone had 15 kills (hitting .312) to lead the Trojans in scoring as USC won its fourth consecutive match as it defeated Sacred Heart in five sets, 23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22 and 18-16. This victory in USC’s first ever meeting with the Pioneers improves the Trojans’ record to 10-12 overall.

As a team, USC hit .260 while senior middle blocker Andy Benesh scored 14 kills (hitting .538) and teammate, sophomore outside hitter Gianluca Grasso nabbed eight kills of his own (hitting .083). Freshman setter Matt Faraimo made the second start of his career and dished out 42 assists.

For Sacred Heart, senior opposite Christopher DeLucie led the Pioneers tallying 18 kills (hitting .316). As a team, Sacred Heart hit .255 on the night.

The Trojans were once again without top outside hitter Lucas Yoder who is recovering from an abdominal strain.

The score remained close throughout the first set as points were exchanged between the Trojans and the Pioneers. After being tied at 15-15, Sacred Heart scored four points in a row to take a 19-15 lead. They remained in control of the set as they finished with a 25-23 win.

The Pioneers’ momentum from the first set carried over as they took a 7-4 lead in the second set. As the Trojans fought back to close the gap at 7-8, Sacred Heart went on a five-point run to increase their lead to 13-7. The Trojans couldn’t recover from the deficit as the Pioneers claimed the second set 25-18.

After being tied 15-15 in the third set, USC capitalized on a Sacred Heart service error to flip the momentum in their favor. USC pushed ahead and secured their 19-16 lead with a massive triple block. The Pioneers kept batting back and closed the score gap at 23-23. The Trojans took charge as Lossone and Ryan Moss each earned a kill to take the third set 25-23.

Moss gave the Trojans an 11-9 lead in the fourth set. After the Pioneers earned a kill of their own, USC earned two more points to force Sacred Heart into a timeout. The Trojans continued to hold onto their lead, and Benesh punctuated the fourth set with a massive kill to claim the 25-22 win for Troy.

After trailing 4-7 in the decisive fifth set, USC pushed points to tie up the score at 9-9. The Pioneers took the lead, but USC once again closed the gap to 12-12. Benesh served a clutch ace, and Moss immediately put up a block to turn the tide in favor of the Trojans for match point at 14-12. Sacred Heart scored two kills in a row to tie the score at 14-14, and points were exchanged to force another tie at 16-16. The Trojans would have the final word as they claimed the fifth set 18-16 to win the match.

USC’s next action will take the Trojans upstairs to the Galen Center Pavilion where they will take on Concordia on Friday (March 24) at 7 p.m. PT.

Press Release

Courtesy of Sacred Heart Athletics

USC 3                 Sacred Heart 2

  • SET 1-
    • The Pioneers were set to take on the Trojans and finish their trip on a high note, as DeLucie started things off with a kill
    • Each team went back and forth, till the score was tied up at 14 a piece
    • Back-to-back DeLucie kills would give SHU a 17-15 advantage, forcing USC to take a timeout
    • The Timeout wouldn’t work for the Trojans as they came back with two attack errors, as SHU would lead 19-15
    • To keep things interesting, USC would rattle off three points to tie it up at 20-20
    • Last weeks AVCA, and EIVA Player of the week, Comens added the final dagger, to take the set 25-23
    • SET 2-
      • SHU caught fire to open the second set, as they jumped to a 7-4 advantage, ended with a Dzema kill
      • After a pair of attack errors from the Trojans, and a Waumans kill, the Pioneers were ahead 13-7
      • Sacred Heart didn’t look back from their, as they improved to 24-18 after a Bloomquist kill
      • DeLucie added the dagger with a service ace to take the set 25-18, and jump to a two set advantage
      • SET 3-
        • The Trojans were determined in their home gym in the third, as they hung with the Pioneers as the match was tied 11-11
        • Each team went back and forth, till the score was tied up 19 a piece
        • As each team wouldn’t give in the set came down to the wire with the score tied 23-23, but the Trojans would get the last laugh hitting back-to-back kills to take the set 25-23
        • SET 4-
          • SHU came out quick in the forth, jumping to a 7-4 lead, ending with a Comens kill
          • USC would go on a run of their own from their to take a 13-10 advantage, after a Waumans attack error
          • The Trojans found their rhythm, jumping to a 21-15 lead, but SHU wouldn’t give in just yet, as they rattled off three points to put the match within 3
          • USC would go on the take the forth set, 25-22 and force the fifth set
          • SET 5-
            • Things looked good for SHU to start the final set, as they jumped to a 7-4 lead
            • The Trojans would come back quick as the score stood 9-9, forcing SHU to take a timeout
            • The Pioneers were able to finish the Trojans as they would go on to take the final set 18-16, and the match 3-2

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About Carly DeMarque

Carly DeMarque

Carly DeMarque has been involved with competitive volleyball for the majority of her life, playing competitively at the club and collegiate level for 15 years and coaching club for five. Now a retired Division I volleyball athlete out of McNeese State University, she continues her volleyball enthusiasm by stepping back into …

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