USC Women's Volleyball Whips Up Five-Set Win Over Wildcats

Sunday, November 6

Los Angeles, Calif.

2:00 PM

USC

18-7,10-4Pac-12

Arizona

13-12,3-11Pac-12

Arizona

Southern California

Photo by: Jenny Chuang

USC Women's Volleyball Whips Up Five-Set Win Over Wildcats

November 06, 2022 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Highlights Box Score

The Women of Troy got another career performance from Skylar Fields who had 27 kills to power the offense

LOS ANGELES – The USC women's volleyball team (18-7, 10-4 Pac-12) completed the season sweep (4-0) of the Arizona schools with a hard-fought five-set victory (22-25, 27-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-11) over Arizona (13-12, 3-11) at Galen Center on Sunday, Nov. 6.

KEY PLAYERS

Sr. OH Skylar Fields tied her career high of 27 kills for the third time this season (9e, 72att, .250) and had 12 digs to notch her eighth-career double-double. Fields' 72 attacks are a new career mark and it was her 23rd match in double-digit kills and her 13th with 20-or-more kills.
So. setter Mia Tuaniga dished out 47 assists and served four aces to go with two kills, three blocks, and eight digs. It was Tuaniga's fourth match this season with four or more aces (fifth of her career). Her 47 aces this season rank ninth all-time in the Trojans' single-season record book.
Fr. LIB Gala Trubint led the Trojans with 18 digs for her 22nd match in double digits. She also added two service aces.
Sr. OPP Emilia Weske totaled 11 kills (3e, 22att) and hit .364 to go with four digs, five blocks (one solo), and two aces.
Jr. MB Lindsey Miller played four sets and finished with seven kills on 14 swings (.500) with three blocks.
So. MB Katelyn Smith had five blocks (one solo) to go with four kills (6att, .667) and a service ace.
For the Wildcats, Sofia Maldonado Diaz led with 22 kills (2e, 45att, .444) and had six service aces. Jaelyn Hodge added 13 kills with four blocks and Dilara Gedikoglu had the double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

USC had its seventh match with double-digit aces (11) and out-hit the Wildcats, .299 to .277, to collect the five-set win. Both teams had 59 digs, but the Trojans had the edge in blocks (10.0 to 8.5).
The Wildcats took the first set, 25-22, by scoring 21.0 points with 19 kills and a pair of service aces. Arizona hit .400 to open the match with Maldonado Diaz picking up the lion's share of the offense with seven kills.
It took 13 ties and seven lead changes, but the Trojans edged the Wildcats for set two, 27-25, to even the match. Fields delivered nine kills while Weske and Kalyah Williams each added two.
USC led the third, 10-8, but got caught up in a 12-0 run by the Wildcats and trailed by 10. The Trojans did what they could but scoring on nine of the next 14 rallies wasn't enough as Arizona took a 2-1 lead in the match with a 25-19 win. Fields and Weske each had three kills, but Arizona put up four blocks and out-hit USC, .290 to .103.
The Women of Troy claimed a 25-22 win in the fourth to send the match to the fifth. USC's .583 hitting percentage in the fourth was its highest single-set output against a Pac-12 opponent this season. Fields led the way with seven of her kills and Trubint picked up five digs in the frame. The Trojans put up four blocks.
A short 4-0 burst by the Trojans put them up, 5-3, early in the fifth. Arizona pulled even at eight-all, but USC weathered the comeback to finish the match on a 7-3 run to win, 15-11. Fields added four more of her kills while Tuaniga and Trubint each served aces in the fifth.

UP NEXT

The Trojans remain home for the next two and have a short week before they face No. 8 Stanford (18-4, 13-1 Pac-12) on Wednesday night (Nov. 9) at 7 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks. USC will then have two days between contests before a Saturday matinee meeting with California (7-17, 0-14) on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. on Pac-12 Insider.

MATCH NOTES

USC swept the season series over Arizona and improved to 71-22 all-time against the Wildcats. It was the Trojans' ninth straight win over Arizona and helped USC go to 37-6 in home contests with the Cats.
The Women of Troy improved to 12-1 at Galen Center this season and to 191-53 all-time in the arena.
The Trojans improved to 1-2 in five-set matches this season (145-101 all-time, 58-38 at home).
Against the Wildcats, USC went to 11-8 all-time in five-set matches and to 7-2 when those are played at home.

For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.