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No. 18 Trojans Face Tough Tests in Omaha
August 31, 2017 | Women's Volleyball, Features
The Women of Troy enter the weekend as one of four undefeated teams in Omaha, Neb.
LOS ANGELES – The 18th-ranked USC women's volleyball team (3-0) heads east this week to face Northern Iowa (3-0), No. 13 Kentucky (3-0), and host No. 7 Creighton (3-0) in the 2017 Bluejay Invitational presented by First National Bank at the D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb. These four teams will meet in a non-conference tournament for the fourth-straight season and while each of the squads enters the weekend undefeated, the Women of Troy are unbeaten all-time (13-0) against its upcoming weekend foes.
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Last year, USC's three wins at Galen Center against UNI, UK, and Creighton sprang the Trojans to their season-long eight-match winning streak (Sept. 2-16). The Women of Troy opened this season with a trio of four-set wins including one over 16th-ranked Michigan. Led by double-doubles from sophomore OH Khalia Lanier (19k, 12d) and sophomore S Cindy Marina (29a, 10d), the Trojans took down their first ranked team since beating a 16th-ranked Oregon on Oct. 14, 2016. Marina and senior S Reni Meyer-Whalley, have set the Trojans to better than .365 hitting in each of their first three matches.
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LAST TIME OUT: The Women of Troy opened the 2017 campaign with three 3-1 wins in the USC/LMU Tournament. USC took town co-host Loyola Marymount after dropping its first set and then earned a big victory over No. 16 Michigan at Galen Center. The Trojans topped the weekend off with a 3-1 win over UAlbany. Outside hitters Khalia Lanier and Alyse Ford; and opposite hitters Brittany Abercrombie and Niki Withers were each named to the All-Tournament Team with Lanier taking home MVP honors. Lanier logged her 17th-career double-double (19k, 12d) to lead the Women of Troy to their win over the Wolverines. Sophomore transfer setter Cindy Marina made her USC debut weekend and put up her 18th-career double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs against Michigan.
THE FOOT FAULT
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Last year, USC's three wins at Galen Center against UNI, UK, and Creighton sprang the Trojans to their season-long eight-match winning streak (Sept. 2-16). The Women of Troy opened this season with a trio of four-set wins including one over 16th-ranked Michigan. Led by double-doubles from sophomore OH Khalia Lanier (19k, 12d) and sophomore S Cindy Marina (29a, 10d), the Trojans took down their first ranked team since beating a 16th-ranked Oregon on Oct. 14, 2016. Marina and senior S Reni Meyer-Whalley, have set the Trojans to better than .365 hitting in each of their first three matches.
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LAST TIME OUT: The Women of Troy opened the 2017 campaign with three 3-1 wins in the USC/LMU Tournament. USC took town co-host Loyola Marymount after dropping its first set and then earned a big victory over No. 16 Michigan at Galen Center. The Trojans topped the weekend off with a 3-1 win over UAlbany. Outside hitters Khalia Lanier and Alyse Ford; and opposite hitters Brittany Abercrombie and Niki Withers were each named to the All-Tournament Team with Lanier taking home MVP honors. Lanier logged her 17th-career double-double (19k, 12d) to lead the Women of Troy to their win over the Wolverines. Sophomore transfer setter Cindy Marina made her USC debut weekend and put up her 18th-career double-double with 29 assists and 10 digs against Michigan.
THE FOOT FAULT
- USC is a combined 13-0 against UNI, Creighton, and Kentucky. The Trojans won last year's edition of this tournament as hosts at Galen Center.
- The Women of Troy are 3-2 all-time in matches played in the state of Nebraska and last ventured into the Cornhusker State in 2008.
- The Trojans' current three-match win streak is their longest since Oct. 14-21, 2016. USC last won more than three in a row Sept. 2-16, 2016 (8 straight).
- OH Khalia Lanier was named last week's Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week; the first-such award of her career.
- Lanier the MVP, OH Alyse Ford, OPP Brittany Abercrombie, and OPP Niki Withers were each chosen to the USC/LMU All-Tournament Team last week.
- USC's roster features eight newcomers in 2017 including four transfers. In total, the Trojan roster has eight players who have played at other colleges.
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