This week was a great step forward for the USC men’s volleyball team, as they propelled to two top-10 wins, behind this weeks VolleyMob National Player of the Week Lucas Yoder.
Yoder was instrumental in the Trojans success this week, helping the squad upset #6 Stanford and #9 Pepperdine, each of which have dropped down in the top-15 as a result of the defeats. With the two wins, USC made it into the top-15 for the first time this season, entering in at #14.
In the first match of the week against Stanford, Yoder was able to slam down 15 kills, a service ace and three digs in the teams sweep. In the third set of the match, Yoder put down 6 of his 15 kills, helping propel the team to victory in a tight set with a score of 25-23.
Against Pepperdine, a little more effort was needed from the team, as it took five sets to take down the Wave. Yoder played a big role in the victory with a double-double of 21 kills and 12 digs, also adding five blocks and two aces to his tally.
Yoder’s career with USC was up and down to start, as he began his career as a freshman, one of the top players in the country. He started in all 26 matches for the squad while posting a team-best 394 kills on the year. The shaky part of his career came in his sophomore season, when he only appeared in three matches with six kills. Making a comeback last season as a junior, Yoder again posted a team-best 273 kills on the year. In his senior season, he is off to a great start. Yoder is leading the Trojans at the half-way point of the season with 236 kills on a .321 hitting percentage, averaging 4.92 kills per set.
Previous VolleyMob Players of the Week
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