University Southern California Trojans
Trojans Look to Extend Streak Against Wild Game
October 15, 2014 | Women's Volleyball
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USC Match Notes (PDF) 
| Oregon Match Notes (PDF)
Oct. 15, 2014
MATCH #17LOS ANGELES- The 18th-ranked Women of Troy (10-6, 3-3 Pac-12) look to extend their three-match winning streak when No. 10 Oregon (14-2, 4-2) and Oregon State (13-4, 3-3) visit the Galen Center this weekend. The USC campus will celebrate homecoming as the Trojans look to pull even with four straight home wins. The Women of Troy and the Ducks take the court for a Friday-evening bout at 8 p.m. PT. Then the Trojans and Beavers meet for a Sunday-morning matinee at 11 a.m.
Both matches will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks. The USC-Oregon match will be called by Josh Lewin and Kevin Wong while the USC-OSU match will feature Anne Marie Anderson and Holly McPeak on the broadcast.
Despite a bumpy start to its Pac-12 schedule, USC has regained its footing over the last three matches and can move into third or fourth place in the league with two victories this weekend. The Trojans have had much success against the Ducks and Beavers and are 19-1 in the last 20 meetings with the two teams. In fact, USC has won 29 straight sets over Oregon State dating back to 2008.
USC's win over Utah marked the program's 950th. Rich with a winning tradition, the Women of Troy have produced six national titles (three NCAA) and are one of the nation's most successful programs. Head coach Mick Haley has been at the helm for USC through many milestone victories from the 600th win in 2001, to Saturday's 950th, and now is poised to bring the team its 1000th victory in a few years.
The two weekend home matches are also a harbinger of a tough road ahead: literally. After this, USC must play eight of its final 12 matches on the road as it seeks to climb the ranks of the Pac-12 standings.
USC's roster is young with 11 freshmen and sophomores on the ticket, but setters Hayley Crone (5.44 aps) and Alice Pizzasegola (5.45 aps) have their choice of weapons both at the pins and in the middle. Through 16 matches, the team is hitting .256 with 13.53 kills per set. Junior OH Samantha Bricio is a favorite target and also has range out of the back row. She leads the team with 3.86 kps and ranks fourth in the Pac-12 in points (5.08 pps). Bricio is also a force from the back line. In 59 sets, she has racked up 54 service aces this season, to lead the Pac-12 and rank second in the country with 0.92 saps. With 182 aces, she has already became USC's all-time career leader in aces and ranks second in Pac-12 history.
A force on the right side, sophomore OH Ebony Nwanebu is averaging 2.66 kps (.226) this season. A pair of freshmen outside hitters has stepped straight into major roles for the Trojans' rotation and help load the court with players that can score at any time. OH Lauryn Gillis has started almost every match for USC and knocks down 2.36 kps (.190) and is fourth on the team with 2.10 dps. OH Brittany Abercrombie has appeared in 28 sets and hits .248 with 2.00 kps.
Defensively, the Trojans have gotten strong production from junior MB Alicia Ogoms who leads the team with 0.98 bps. Ogoms also delivers on the offensive end with 1.47 kps and a .327 hitting percentage. The Women of Troy can also go young in the middle with freshman Jordan Dunn who has posted 1.21 kps to go with a .393 hitting rate this season. In the backcourt, sophomore libero Taylor Whittingham (4.19 dps) anchors the Trojan defense and ranks third in the Pac-12.
SCOUTING OREGON: The 10th-ranked Ducks (14-2) are currently 4-2 in Pac-12 play. On Sunday, Oct. 12, Oregon lost to Washington in four sets. Powering the Ducks' offense are outside hitters junior Martenne Bettendorf (3.37 kps) and senior Liz Brenner (3.15 kps). Bettendorf ranks 10th in the Pac-12 for kills and has tallied 202 kills this season. Two other threats from the pins are freshman OH Frankie Shebby (2.42 kps) and sophomore opposite Naya Crittenden (1.93 kps). Shebby is a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week winner. Oregon gets its contributions from the middle attack thanks to senior MB Serena Warner and sophomore MB Kacey Nady, who each record 1.55 kps and 1.91 kps, respectively. Warner is fourth in conference in hitting percentage (.389), and Nady is fifth (.387). Leading the Ducks' defense is sophomore libero Amanda Benson with 233 digs (3.88 dps). New to Oregon this year is the 6-2 offense, run by setters freshman Maggie Scott (6.85 aps) and senior Shellsy Ashen (5.55 aps).
USC-OREGON SERIES HISTORY: The Women of Troy own a 49-9 overall record in their series with the Ducks. USC is currently 24-4 in home matches against Oregon, and are 9-1 in their last 10 meetings overall. The Trojans swept the ducks in both matches last season.
HEAD COACH JIM MOORE: Oregon head coach Jim Moore is in his 10th season with the program. He has a career record of 552-256 with a .683 winning percentage.
SCOUTING OREGON STATE: The Beavers (13-4) are currently 3-3 in conference. In their last match against Washington State (Oct. 11), Oregon State beat the Cougars in four sets. Leading the Beavers in kills is freshman OH Mary-Kate Marshall with 4.20 kps (fifth in the Pac-12). Marshall is a two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week selection. The Beavers' other threats from the pins are redshirt sophomore OH Katelyn Driscoll and redshirt senior OH Laura Schaudt who each record 2.23 kps and 2.85 kps, respectively. Contributing from the middle are senior middles Amanda Brown (2.06 kps) and Arica Nassar (1.88 kps). Nassar is also second in conference in blocks, collecting 1.49 bps. Leading the Beavers' defense is junior libero Darby Reeder with 4.30 dps (second in the league). Reeder is also second in conference in service aces with 27 for the season. Running Oregon State's offense is redshirt senior setter Tayla Woods with 587 assists for the season (9.95 aps).
USC-OSU SERIES HISTORY: The Women of Troy own a 47-8 overall record in the series with the Beavers. USC is 24-3 in matches at home with Oregon State. The Trojans have beaten the Beavers in 10 consecutive matches and have not dropped a set since 2008 (29 straight).
HEAD COACH TARAS LISKEVYCH: Oregon State head coach Taras Liskevych is in his 10th year in Corvallis, Ore. He has a 111-175 record with a .388 winning percentage while at Oregon State. His career record, including nine seasons at Pacific, is 378-259.
LET ME TAKE A #SELFIE: Get social with the Women of Troy this season. Fans can follow and interact with the USC women's volleyball team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by searching for @USCWomensVolley.
HI, MOM! I'M ON TV: The Trojans will appear on live television broadcasts in 21 of 30 regular-season matches this season. USC matches at the USC Classic and the Pac-12/Big Ten Showcase, and all but three of the Trojans' conference matches will be carried by the Pac-12 Networks. USC's regular-season finale at UCLA will be broadcast live on ESPNU. In addition, the Trojans appeared on the West Coast Conference's digital network (TheW.tv) in the Community Bankers Volleyball Classic in Stockton, Calif., and on the new SEC Network's digital platform when they played Kentucky in the Commonwealth Classic in Lexington, Ky.
LAST TIME OUT: USC won back-to-back matches for the first time since opening the season with six straight victories. The Trojans extended to a three-match winning streak on a 3-0 victory over Colorado (25-20, 25-18, 25-19) and a four-set win over Utah (25-14, 25-20, 21-25, 25-18). The win against the Utes was USC's 950th all-time. For her effort, junior OH Samantha Bricio was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. She tallied a career-high 32.0 points in the win over Utah and tied a USC single-match record with eight aces against the Utes. In all, she had 37 kills (80 attempts) with 12 aces for an impressive 7.29 points per set over the weekend. Sophomore libero Taylor Whittingham posted a new career best with 29 digs against Utah and was one shy of tying the Trojans' three-set record for digs. Against the Buffs, senior OH Emily Young had seven kills (0e, 11att) to hit .636. Against Utah, junior MB Alicia Ogoms added 10 kills (.600) and two blocks and sophomore OH Ebony Nwanebu had 10 kills (.167) to go with two aces and three blocks. The Trojans aced Ute passers 15 times for a new season-high mark.
