UCLA Continues Undefeated Streak with Win Over USC

Following a hard-fought five-set victory earlier in the week, the No. 1 UCLA Bruins (16-0, 5-0 MPSF) defeated the No. 5 USC Trojans (8-3, 1-2 MPSF) in a rematch on Friday night. The Bruins secured the win with scores of 25-22, 23-25, 25-15, 25-19.

Trojans Struggle to Replicate Earlier Success

Despite a competitive first set and a set-two victory, USC was unable to maintain momentum against the undefeated Bruins. Head Coach Jeff Nygaard noted the team’s struggle to recover after the third set, stating, “We were where we wanted to be for [set] two, but then [set] three got away from us, and we just never recovered.” Daily Trojan

Key Statistics Highlight UCLA’s Dominance

UCLA’s victory was bolstered by a significant advantage in attack errors, committing only 11 compared to USC’s 20. The Bruins too dominated from the service line, recording nine aces to USC’s two, and out-blocked the Trojans 9.5 to 4. Daily Trojan

Offensive Performances

USC’s senior outside hitter Dillon Klein, who delivered a match-high 25 kills in Tuesday’s contest, had a relatively quieter performance with 16 kills. Daily Trojan Sophomore outside hitter Sterling Foley and redshirt junior outside hitter Noah Roberts contributed nine kills combined. For UCLA, senior outside hitter Zach Rama led the offensive charge with 19 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Sean Kelly added 17 kills along with six digs and two aces. UCLA Bruins

Freshman Impact and Coaching Adjustments

USC Head Coach Jeff Nygaard utilized bench players, including freshman outside hitter Cooper Keane, who recorded three kills with a .500 hitting percentage, and freshman setter Andrew Chapin, who added four assists. Nygaard expressed satisfaction with the contributions from his younger players, stating, “I really enjoyed putting Cooper Keane … out there and just seeing him go out and just hammer some balls. Andrew Chapin went in and made an impact.” Daily Trojan

Controversial Call Impacts Set Three

A controversial out-of-rotation call during the third set proved pivotal, with officials initially unclear on which USC player was penalized. The call awarded a point to UCLA, contributing to their 2-1 lead. Daily Trojan

Looking Ahead for the Trojans

Despite the loss, Nygaard remained optimistic, acknowledging the challenge of facing the top-ranked team in the nation. “We lost to the number one team in the nation that’s undefeated, and that’s a tall order to begin with,” he said. “Now … we got to take care of business.” Daily Trojan USC will next face Concordia University Irvine (5-11, 2-3) on Thursday at 6 p.m. At CU Arena in Irvine.