University Southern California Trojans
Top-Ranked Trojans Tap Rockies For Two
October 06, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
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Oct. 6, 2015
Match #17
No. 1 USC (16-0, 4-0) at Colorado (10-6, 2-2)
Coors Events Center • Boulder, Colo.
Friday, Oct. 9 • 8 p.m. MT (7 p.m. PT)
Series Record: USC leads, 10-0 (1.000)
Last Meeting: W, 3-0 (Nov. 9, 2014 • Boulder, Colo.)
Current Streak: Won 10
Last 10 Meetings: 10-0
TV: Pac-12 Net. (Holly McPeak & Chris Marlowe)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Opponent Web: CUBuffs.com
Match #18
No. 1 USC (16-0, 4-0) at Utah (7-8, 1-3)
Jon M. Huntsman Center • Salt Lake City, Utah
Sunday, Oct. 11 • 1 p.m. MT (Noon PT)
Series Record: USC leads, 13-2
Last Meeting: L, 3-0 (Nov. 7, 2014 • Salt Lake City)
Current Streak: Lost 1
Last 10 Meetings: 9-1
Web Stream: Pac-12.com/live/university-utah
Opponent Web: UtahUtes.com
LOS ANGELES -- The No. 1-ranked USC women's volleyball team (16-0, 4-0 Pac-12) will put its newly-minted ranking to the test with a pair of pivotal conference matches within the broad shoulders of the Rocky Mountains this week. The Women of Troy face Colorado (10-6, 2-2) on Friday, Oct. 9, at the Coors Events Center in Boulder, Colo., at 8 p.m. MT (7 p.m. PT) and then head to Salt Lake City for a bout with Utah (7-8, 1-3) on Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Jon Huntsman Center at 1 p.m. MT (noon PT). The Trojans and the Buffaloes (Oct. 9) will appear live on the Pac-12 Networks with Holly McPeak and Chris Marlowe on the call.
USC received its first No. 1 ranking since Oct. 2013 and is the top-ranked team in the nation for the 42nd time in program history. The Trojans are 86-8 when they are ranked No. 1 and once went wire to wire as the top-ranked team en route to winning the 2003 NCAA championship.
The Trojans improved to 16-0 to start the season following victories over Washington State and then-No. 5 Washington. It is the fourth time under head coach Mick Haley that the Women of Troy are 16-0 to start a season and the team's best start since the 2006 Trojans went 17-0 to open the year. USC went 19-0 to open 2002 and was undefeated at 35-0 in 2003.
USC's offense is powered by senior OH Samantha Bricio who leads the nation in points (6.30 pps) and service aces (0.81 saps). Bricio's defense is also vastly improved as she averages 0.79 blocks and 2.68 digs per set. At the other pin, freshman Alyse Ford knocks down 2.71 kps and is hitting .285 this season. The Trojans also receive 3.10 points per set from senior MB Alicia Ogoms who is the nation's second-leading blocker with 1.76 bps. On defense, junior libero Taylor Whittingham is the Pac-12's second-leading player for digs (4.66 dps).
COLORADO (10-6, 2-2 Pac 12) will play its first conference home match against the Trojans after starting the Pac-12 schedule with four road contests. The Buffaloes had won six out of seven to close their non-conference schedule but dropped matches at Utah and Washington once league play began. Now, Colorado returns home with a two-match winning streak on victories over Oregon and OSU. Senior outside hitter Alexis Austin leads the Buffalo in kills (3.95 kps, seventh in the Pac-12) and is followed by sophomore Gabby Simpson (3.38 kps). Simpson is also the team leader in aces with 14 this season. Colorado runs a 5-1 offense with senior setter Nicole Edelman at the point averaging 9.12 assists per set. On defense, junior libero Cierra Simpson leads the team in digs (3.56 dps) and sophomore middle blocker Anna Pfefferle leads in blocks (1.19 bps). The Buffaloes are led by seventh-year head coach Liz Kritza, who is 81-118 in Boulder. She is 157-157 all-time as a head coach. The Trojans have never lost to the Buffaloes in 10 all-time meetings and have only ever dropped three sets to Colorado. USC has won the last 23 straight sets over the Buffalo.
UTAH (7-8, 1-3 Pac 12) is on a season-long three-match losing streak since beating Colorado to open the Pac-12 schedule. The Utes come off a pair of five-set losses on the road to Oregon and Oregon State; their third and fourth five-set matches this season. Despite not having won more than two matches in a row all season, Utah started the year with four wins in five contests. The Utes are led by sophomore outside hitter Adora Anae who nets 3.98 kills per set (sixth in the Pac-12) and is second on the team for digs (3.08 dps) and service aces (14 aces). Fellow sophomore pin-hitter Eliza Katoa is second on the team in kills (2.91 kps) and sophomore middle blocker Carly Trueman is third with 2.07 kills per set. Junior libero Tess Sutton leads the team in digs (3.74 dps) and senior middle blocker Brenna DeYoung tops all Utes with 1.22 blocks per set. Sophomore middle Alyssa Koenig puts up 1.11 blocks per set. Utah is led by 26th-year head coach Beth Launiere, who holds a 498-311 all-time record. USC is 13-2 against the Utes but had a 10-match winning streak snapped last season in Salt Lake City as Utah prevailed in a 3-0 sweep. It was the Utes' first win over the Trojans since 1986 and their first in SLC.
LAST TIME OUT: The Women of Troy extended their winning streak to 16 matches on a 3-0 sweep of Washington State (25-14, 25-17, 25-21) and a four-set victory over No. 5-ranked Washington (25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 33-31). Senior OH Samantha Bricio posted back-to-back double-doubles (her fifth and sixth of the season) and was critical to USC's victory over the Huskies as she finished with 27 kills, 16 digs, and three service aces. Freshman setter Baylee Johnson also had a pair of double-doubles and was instrumental to helping to Women of Troy post a better hitting percentage than their opponent for the 14th and 15th times this year. USC's win over the Huskies snapped a five-match skid to Washington and was the first win in the series since 2012.
STRIKING DISTANCE: Senior OH Samantha Bricio has 1,695 career kills and is within striking distance of the all-time program record of 1,918 set by Alex Jupiter (2008-11). She currently ranks fourth and is poised to move into third in her next match, ahead of Jasmina Marinkovic (1995-98; 1,699 kills). All-American OH Jennifer Kessy is next on the list at second with 1,799 kills. Bricio needs 223 kills to tie the Trojans' all-time mark. She ranks 30th in Pac-12 history.
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, Instagram, and Periscope by searching for @USCWomensVolley.
900 CLUB: Head coach Mick Haley is just three victories from reaching the elusive 900-win mark in NCAA Division I women's volleyball. He is third in career DI wins (897) among active coaches behind only Penn State's Russ Rose and Hawai'i's Dave Shoji. Haley is in his 32nd season as a Division I coach, but has 39 years of overall coaching experience and is 1,245-312-1 (.800) in all matches including men's and women's at Kellogg Community College.
