USC
Jiangsu Chinese Team
Jiangsu China Claims Four-set Victory in Exhibition
August 28, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
Aug. 28, 2012
LOS ANGELES - The fifth-ranked USC women's volleyball team fell, 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19) to Jiangsu, China in the AVCA College Volleyball Showcase at the Galen Center on Tuesday, Aug. 28. One of four players with double-digit kills, the Women of Troy were led by senior opposite hitter Katie Fuller who had 16 (5e, 29att, .379).
The exhibition match was the first of several that the Jiangsu Chinese team will play. It was the first-ever live women's volleyball event to be carried on the new Pac-12 Networks. Anne Marie Anderson and Tammy Blackburn provided the call for the historic telecast.
USC posted a .214 hitting percentage and gave up a .326 outing to Jiangsu which was led by Chen Yayun who had 19 kills (3e, 36att, .444). Zhai Tingli had 16 kills (6e, 40att, .250) and posted a double-double for Jiangsu with 12 digs.
The Trojans also got a strong contribution from junior middle blocker Alexis Olgard who hit .550 to nab 12 kills (1e, 20att). Olgard also added four blocks on the defensive side of the net. Freshman outside hitter Samantha Bricio had 12 kills (7e, 32att, .156) and six digs while junior outside hitter Sara Shaw added 11 kills (6e, 38att, .132). Junior libero Natalie Hagglund paced the USC defensive effort with 11 digs.
"It was good for all our young players to play at home for the first time," said head coach Mick Haley, "get a feel for how it's going to be and try to get the bugs worked out. I'm pleased with the effort. I think our team will continue to work hard in practice, and in two or three weeks, we'll be a different team."
USC fell behind by eight points, 18-10, in the first set, but rallied behind a run in which it got three kills from Bricio and a service ace from Shaw. The Trojans got within four points at 22-18 on a block by Olgard and sophomore setter Hayley Crone, but Jiangsu closed out the set to win, 25-20.
The Women of Troy carried their momentum from the first set into the second and built a four-point lead at 16-12, but Jiangsu went on a run to clear the gap and earn a 17-all tie. USC stayed the course and evened the match at one set each off of back-to-back kills from Fuller for a 25-23 win.
Out of the break, the Trojans created a 7-2 lead early on, but Jiangsu was unrelenting as it chipped away to eventually earn a tie at 15-all. USC could only get within one point from then on as Jiangsu claimed a 25-21 lead to go up, 2-1, in the match.
The fourth set started out close, but Jiangsu quickly turned the corner and came up with a 10-5 lead. This time, USC fought back to get within a point at 11-10 on kill by Shaw. Back-to-back points from Chen put Jiangsu up, 15-10, and prompted a Trojan timeout. USC got within two points at 19-17, but hitting errors got the best of the Trojans as Jiangsu reeled off a big run to end the match on a 25-20 win in the fourth set.
The Trojans are back in action as hosts of the Luxe City Center Trojan Invitational, this weekend (Aug. 31-Sept. 1). No. 23-ranked Northern Iowa faces Boston College in the first match at 11 a.m. PT on Friday, Aug. 31. USC will draw UNI in an 8 p.m. match to close out the first day. Please visit www.USCTrojans.com for more information.
