Wednesday, October 17
Seattle, Wash.
7:00 PM
USC
at
Washington
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
Photo by: Trevor Sochocki
No. 14 USC Closes Front 10 in Pacific Northwest
October 16, 2018 | Women's Volleyball, Features
The Women of Troy are second in the Pac-12 standings heading into matchups with Washington and Washington State
LOS ANGELES – No. 14 USC (14-5, 6-2 Pac-12) completes the front half of league play in the Pacific Northwest where it will play fourth and fifth consecutive matches against ranked opponents (13th this season). The Trojans are amidst a seven-day stretch through which they play four teams; all ranked. USC is 7-4 against ranked foes this season and holds wins over two top-five opponents.
The Evergreen State has not been kind to the visiting Trojans. The last time USC swept both matches in the state was 2011 when it won the inaugural Pac-12 championship. Prior to that, the Trojans went 2-0 in the state of Washington in 2002 and 2003 when they won back-to-back NCAA crowns. Seattle has been particularly tough on USC. There, it is 1-11 against the Huskies since 2005 with the only Emerald City victory in 2011.
MATCH #20
No. 14 USC (14-5, 6-2) at No. 19 Washington (13-5, 5-3)
Wednesday, Oct. 17 • 7 p.m. PT
Alaska Airlines Arena • Seattle, Wash.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 40-27 (.597)
LAST MEETING: L, 3-2 (Oct. 27, 2017 • Seattle, Wash.)
CURRENT STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 2-8
TV: P12 N/LA/W (Rich Burk & Camryn Irwin)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoHuskies.com
MATCH #21
No. 14 USC (14-5, 6-2) at No. 23 Wash. State (13-5, 4-4)
Friday, Oct. 19 • 8 p.m. PT
Bohler Gymnasium • Pullman, Wash.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 50-14 (.781)
LAST MEETING: W, 3-0 (Oct. 29, 2017 • Pullman, Wash.)
CURRENT STREAK: Won 2 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 8-2
TV: P12 N/LA/W (Rich Burk & Elise Woodward)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: WSUCougars.com
FIRST SERVE
USC IN BRIEF: The Trojans are currently in second place in the Pac-12 standings behind only undefeated Stanford (8-0). USC sits ahead of three 5-3 squads (Washington, Oregon, UCLA). Despite having five losses on its record, USC holds the nation's No. 4 RPI ranking thanks to having endured an incredibly difficult non-conference schedule. The Trojans were 8-3 in those matches and earned wins over No. 4 Florida and No. 5 Kentucky. The Trojans fell to No. 3 BYU but also claimed victories over No. 13 Creighton and No. 23 San Diego. Under first-year head coach Brent Crouch, USC boasts a formidable offense with All-American OH Khalia Lanier leading the charge (4.32 kps). She is joined on the pins by sophomore standout Brooke Botkin (4.38 kps) and junior transfer Emily Baptista (2.65 kps). Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week three times and is third in the league at 11.32 assists per set. On defense, the Women of Troy turn to senior libero Victoria Garrick (4.76 dps). In the middle, transfer Jasmine Gross is second in the Pac-12 with 86 total blocks this season.
LAST TIME OUT: USC swept the visiting Arizona schools at Galen Center last weekend to extend their home record to 7-1 on the season. The Trojans collected their sixth and seventh wins over ranked opponents on a 3-2 victory over the 25th-ranked Sun Devils and a 3-1 win over No. 23 Arizona. The five-set win over Arizona State was USC's fourth extended-set victory of the season. In it, the Trojans were led by a career-high 59 assists from Raquel Lázaro, who also posted her team-high ninth double-double of the season with 21 assists. Khalia Lanier posted new career numbers with 29 kills (73 attacks) and 32.5 points in the win. Brooke Botkin also registered a double-double with 22 kills and a career-high tying 15 digs. Botkin collected 19 more kills with a career-best .432 hitting percentage against the Wildcats.
AVCA POLL POSITION: The Trojans opened 2018 ranked No. 10 after finishing the 2017 campaign in the No. 7 spot. Overall, the Trojans have appeared in the poll 505 times and have held a spot among the poll's top 10 teams 316 times, which ranks seventh all-time. The Trojans have also held the No. 1 ranking 47 times previously, which is sixth all-time.
PAC-12 POW(ER)S: USC players have received Pac-12 Player of the Week honors 75 times (third most among league teams). Since 2011, when the Pac-12 began honoring separate offensive and defensive players of the week and named a freshman of the week, Trojans have earned 19 offensive awards, 10 defensive awards, and taken home 18 freshman honors. In the first week of the 2018 season, sophomore OH Brooke Botkin received her first-career league honor as the Offensive Player of the Week and freshman setter Raquel Lázaro was chosen for Freshman of the Week honors. Lázaro repeated as the Freshman of the Week in week two and received her third FOW honor on Sept. 24; fourth on Oct. 15.
DOUBLE DOWN: Eight Trojans on this year's squad have recorded career double-doubles. Junior OH Khalia Lanier has six this season and leads all players with 31-career double-doubles. Sophomore OH Brooke Botkin has recorded seven double-doubles in 2018 and has eight-career double-double matches. Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro logged her first-career double-double with 53 assists and 22 digs against Creighton and has nine-career double-doubles to lead the team.
CROUCHING TIGER: First-year USC head coach Brent Crouch led the Trojans to a win over No. 5-ranked Kentucky in his first match at the helm (Aug. 24). In his previous position as Portland's head coach, he led the Pilots to their first-ever wins over ranked opponents including the very first ever; a victory against San Diego (Nov. 14, 2015). The following year, Crouch helped led UP to its first-ever upset of a top-10 opponent on a 3-2 victory at San Diego (Nov. 10, 2016).
The Evergreen State has not been kind to the visiting Trojans. The last time USC swept both matches in the state was 2011 when it won the inaugural Pac-12 championship. Prior to that, the Trojans went 2-0 in the state of Washington in 2002 and 2003 when they won back-to-back NCAA crowns. Seattle has been particularly tough on USC. There, it is 1-11 against the Huskies since 2005 with the only Emerald City victory in 2011.
MATCH #20
No. 14 USC (14-5, 6-2) at No. 19 Washington (13-5, 5-3)
Wednesday, Oct. 17 • 7 p.m. PT
Alaska Airlines Arena • Seattle, Wash.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 40-27 (.597)
LAST MEETING: L, 3-2 (Oct. 27, 2017 • Seattle, Wash.)
CURRENT STREAK: Lost 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 2-8
TV: P12 N/LA/W (Rich Burk & Camryn Irwin)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoHuskies.com
MATCH #21
No. 14 USC (14-5, 6-2) at No. 23 Wash. State (13-5, 4-4)
Friday, Oct. 19 • 8 p.m. PT
Bohler Gymnasium • Pullman, Wash.
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 50-14 (.781)
LAST MEETING: W, 3-0 (Oct. 29, 2017 • Pullman, Wash.)
CURRENT STREAK: Won 2 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 8-2
TV: P12 N/LA/W (Rich Burk & Elise Woodward)
OPPONENT WEBSITE: WSUCougars.com
FIRST SERVE
- USC is ranked 14th in the latest AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll. The Trojans face their 12th and 13th ranked opponents this week; fourth and fifth in a row.
- The Trojans returned to the No. 4 position in the NCAA ratings percentage index (RPI) after spending last week at No. 6.
- The Women of Troy are 7-4 in 11 matches with ranked opponents in 2018.
- The Trojans are currently in second place in the Pac-12 standings.
- USC is in the middle of a seven-day stretch in which it plays four ranked foes.
- The Trojans are 38-29 all-time in matches played in the Evergreen State.
- USC is led by So. OH Brooke Botkin (4.38 kps) and Jr. All-American OH Khalia Lanier (4.32 kps). Fr. setter Raquel Lázaro (11.32 aps) runs the Trojan offense. Sr. libero Victoria Garrick (4.76 dps) anchors the defense.
- Fr. setter Raquel Lázaro received her fourth Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award this week. USC has 18 all-time FOW awards.
USC IN BRIEF: The Trojans are currently in second place in the Pac-12 standings behind only undefeated Stanford (8-0). USC sits ahead of three 5-3 squads (Washington, Oregon, UCLA). Despite having five losses on its record, USC holds the nation's No. 4 RPI ranking thanks to having endured an incredibly difficult non-conference schedule. The Trojans were 8-3 in those matches and earned wins over No. 4 Florida and No. 5 Kentucky. The Trojans fell to No. 3 BYU but also claimed victories over No. 13 Creighton and No. 23 San Diego. Under first-year head coach Brent Crouch, USC boasts a formidable offense with All-American OH Khalia Lanier leading the charge (4.32 kps). She is joined on the pins by sophomore standout Brooke Botkin (4.38 kps) and junior transfer Emily Baptista (2.65 kps). Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week three times and is third in the league at 11.32 assists per set. On defense, the Women of Troy turn to senior libero Victoria Garrick (4.76 dps). In the middle, transfer Jasmine Gross is second in the Pac-12 with 86 total blocks this season.
LAST TIME OUT: USC swept the visiting Arizona schools at Galen Center last weekend to extend their home record to 7-1 on the season. The Trojans collected their sixth and seventh wins over ranked opponents on a 3-2 victory over the 25th-ranked Sun Devils and a 3-1 win over No. 23 Arizona. The five-set win over Arizona State was USC's fourth extended-set victory of the season. In it, the Trojans were led by a career-high 59 assists from Raquel Lázaro, who also posted her team-high ninth double-double of the season with 21 assists. Khalia Lanier posted new career numbers with 29 kills (73 attacks) and 32.5 points in the win. Brooke Botkin also registered a double-double with 22 kills and a career-high tying 15 digs. Botkin collected 19 more kills with a career-best .432 hitting percentage against the Wildcats.
AVCA POLL POSITION: The Trojans opened 2018 ranked No. 10 after finishing the 2017 campaign in the No. 7 spot. Overall, the Trojans have appeared in the poll 505 times and have held a spot among the poll's top 10 teams 316 times, which ranks seventh all-time. The Trojans have also held the No. 1 ranking 47 times previously, which is sixth all-time.
PAC-12 POW(ER)S: USC players have received Pac-12 Player of the Week honors 75 times (third most among league teams). Since 2011, when the Pac-12 began honoring separate offensive and defensive players of the week and named a freshman of the week, Trojans have earned 19 offensive awards, 10 defensive awards, and taken home 18 freshman honors. In the first week of the 2018 season, sophomore OH Brooke Botkin received her first-career league honor as the Offensive Player of the Week and freshman setter Raquel Lázaro was chosen for Freshman of the Week honors. Lázaro repeated as the Freshman of the Week in week two and received her third FOW honor on Sept. 24; fourth on Oct. 15.
DOUBLE DOWN: Eight Trojans on this year's squad have recorded career double-doubles. Junior OH Khalia Lanier has six this season and leads all players with 31-career double-doubles. Sophomore OH Brooke Botkin has recorded seven double-doubles in 2018 and has eight-career double-double matches. Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro logged her first-career double-double with 53 assists and 22 digs against Creighton and has nine-career double-doubles to lead the team.
CROUCHING TIGER: First-year USC head coach Brent Crouch led the Trojans to a win over No. 5-ranked Kentucky in his first match at the helm (Aug. 24). In his previous position as Portland's head coach, he led the Pilots to their first-ever wins over ranked opponents including the very first ever; a victory against San Diego (Nov. 14, 2015). The following year, Crouch helped led UP to its first-ever upset of a top-10 opponent on a 3-2 victory at San Diego (Nov. 10, 2016).
Women's Volleyball - USC 3, LSU 0: Highlights (9/19/25)
Friday, September 19
USC Women's Volleyball vs LSU Post Game Press Conference
Thursday, September 18
Women's Volleyball - USC 3, LSU 1: Highlights (9/18/25)
Thursday, September 18
Women's Volleyball - USC 3, Creighton 0: Highlights (9/9/25)
Sunday, September 07
