In our new series titled Trojan Tribune, we want to give a voice to our student-athletes as they share various experiences from their time at USC. Our second installment features USC women's volleyball libero Taylor Whittingham, who looks back on the highs and lows of her junior season with the NCAA tournament on the horizon.Â
To be completely honest, I never would have thought this team would be in this position right now: 30-2 at the end of the regular season, Pac-12 conference champions, and the No. 1 overall seed heading into the NCAA tournament.
I had no idea what to expect before that first whistle for our season opener against North Carolina. Were we going to continue with our losing season that we had the year before? Or was it going to be completely different?
Our coaches had changed everything from the coaching staff, to the speed of our offense, to wearing all-black ankle braces, socks, and kneepads, to even making sure we high-five every single person on the bench when coming off the court. The day finally came at Galen Center where we would put that all to the test and make our season debut against the same Tar Heels who had cut our season short last December. To say payback was necessary was an understatement.
The match started and our system was working and flowing. I remember [junior middle blocker] Elise Ruddins bounced the first ball of the match and from then on I could just tell that this season was going to be a memorable one. We picked up a win on opening night. Then we had BYU next. The Cougars had finished second in the Final Four the previous season, so it was definitely going to be a fight. We went home that night with a sweep under our belts and a newfound confidence in what this team could really accomplish.
I was smiling so much in those two matches because of the energy, fun, and determination that this team brought. I remember a couple of girls texted our team after those matches to say thank you for letting them enjoy playing the game again, myself included. We were a completely different team. We were all having a really fun time playing with each other and spectators could definitely see that, which made it really fun to watch.
This season, however, didn't come without some bumps in the road, just like every team experiences at one point or another. We knew that the Washington match in Seattle was going to be a hard one. They wanted to get back at us for our win at Galen Center, and their fan support is really big up there. We knew the gym was going to be a hard one to play in.
We got killed. Our 22-match winning streak was broken. It was one of the most highly anticipated matches of the season, and it was over so quickly I barely even remember it. Yet it was a blessing and a curse at the same time. Yes, our winning streak was cut, but it brought us back down to earth. We had been living on cloud nine, beating every team that crossed our path. That loss humbled us and made us work even harder. We finally realized that the second round of conference matches was going to be very different from the first if we didn't step our game up.
Every single girl knew what our goal was from the first day of double days and even after suffering that loss, the goal remained the same: to win the Pac-12 and then to win the National Championship in December.
One the eve of postseason play, it's hard not to think about some of my teammates who I will be playing alongside for the final time the next couple of weeks. I have played against and with a lot of great players during my college career, but the one that stands out the most is Samantha Bricio. I am always asked what it is like playing with her and I always respond that she is a great player and someone that I am glad to have on my side of the net and not the other, especially when she is behind the service line. Samantha is constantly carrying the team on her back and is someone who sets the standard for unbelievable volleyball.Â
I think one of the best parts about playing with Sam is that when she makes these unbelievable hits or amazing serves everyone freaks out except for her. She will go back to her spot like nothing has happened, like she didn't just break the USC record for most kills. I will definitely miss having her on the court with me next year, but I will also miss seeing her around every single day in our house, making hilarious memories both on and off the court. Thanks to her, I am basically fluent in Spanish now.Â
The seniors will definitely be missed next year. [Senior middle blocker] Alicia Ogoms has also had a tremendous presence on the court. My favorite part is her face and yell after she gets a major stuff. No one will ever be able to beat her one-liners and ultimate out-of-nowhere sassiness, which I absolutely love.Â
To think how far this team has come since that first day of double days way back in August is simply amazing and I can't wait to see how far we will go. Now, only six matches separate us from our goal. Omaha, Nebraska, we are coming for you! Watch out, the Trojans are coming in hot!
