USC
11-6, 3-3Pac-12
Arizona
11-6, 3-2Pac-12
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
No. 22 USC Swept by Arizona
October 07, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
Final Stats | Notes | Final Statistics (PDF) 
LOS ANGELES -- The No. 22-ranked USC women's volleyball team (11-6, 3-3 Pac-12) fell in three sets (25-20, 25-22, 25-20) to Arizona (11-6, 3-2 Pac-12) on Friday, Oct. 7, at Galen Center. The Women of Troy had a three-match winning streak snapped by the Wildcats who themselves snapped a four-match skid in contests against the Trojans to earn their first-ever win at Galen Center.
The Trojans got 13 kills from junior opposite hitter Niki Withers who posted a .409 hitting percentage (4e, 22att) to go with a block. Freshman outside hitter Khalia Lanier added nine kills (3e, 33att, .182) with six digs. Junior opposite hitter Brittany Abercrombie had eight kills (1e, 13att, .538). Senior libero Taylor Whittingham dug up 14 balls and moved into sixth place at USC in all-time career digs.
For the Wildcats, Kendra Dahlke posted a double-double with 17 kills (7e, 36att, .278) and 11 digs. Kalei Mau added 12 kills (4e, 29att, .276) with four digs, three service aces, and two blocks. Devyn Cross hit .500 with five kills (0e, 10att) and had a match-high five blocks. Setter Penina Snuka dished out 40 assists and had nine digs to go with four blocks.
USC led Arizona by as many as four points on several occasions in the first set, but couldn't hold on. Despite the Trojans' push to tie the score for an eighth time at 20-all, the Wildcats scored the final five points for a 25-20 victory. The second set also went the way of the Cats as they broke the frame open on an 8-3 run that gave Arizona a 13-8 lead. The Wildcats staved off USC's comeback attempt, and held the Trojans at 22 points to secure a 2-0 lead in the match.
Out of the break, Arizona was relentless as it scored the first four points of the third set. The Wildcats never trailed and allowed USC to get only as close as a single point at 13-12. From there, Arizona maintained a three- to four-point cushion to roll away with a 25-20 win and sew up the three-set sweep.
Up next, USC heads north to face Oregon (Oct. 14) and Oregon State (Oct. 16). Both matches will be shown live on the Pac-12 Networks. The Trojans and the Ducks will meet at 8 p.m. PT on Friday at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore., and then USC takes on the Beavers at Gill Coliseum at noon on Sunday in Corvallis, Ore.
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. To purchase season and single-match tickets, please visit USCTrojans.com/tickets today. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Periscope, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.
MATCH NOTES
- The Trojans fell to 62-20 in all-time meetings with Arizona and had a four-match winning streak against the Wildcats snapped. USC also fell to 8-2 in the last 10 meetings against UA.
- USC hosted Alumni Night at the Galen Center and welcomed back Women of Troy from all generations.
- The Women of Troy had a three-match winning streak snapped.
- Arizona won for the first time at Galen Center and became just the 13th team ever to beat the Trojans in the arena.
- Senior L Taylor Whittingham had 14 digs to mark her 13th match this season in double digits.
- Whittingham's dig count put her at 1,483 career digs, which moved her into sixth in USC's all-time career record book.
- Junior OPP Niki Withers had her 10th match in double-digit kills (13); her fifth straight.
