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Photo by: Kait Devir
No. 12 USC Men's Volleyball Opens MPSF Play with Concordia
February 13, 2024 | Men's Volleyball
The Trojans look to extend a six-match win streak held over the Golden Eagles this week
LOS ANGELES – The 12th-ranked USC men's volleyball team (8-4) opens conference play this week with a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match-up on Wednesday night (Feb. 14) at 7 p.m. PT at Concordia (5-1) in the Eagles' CU Arena. CUI then heads to Galen Center for the teams' second meeting on Friday (Feb. 16) set for 7 p.m. The Trojans' home match is Glow Out Galen night and will be shown live on the USC Live Stream platform. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free glow-in-the-dark sport bottle and kids under 18 receive free admission.
THIS WEEK
No. 12 USC (8-4, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Concordia (5-1, 0-0 MPSF)
MATCH #13 • Wednesday, Feb. 14 • 7 p.m. PT
CU Arena • Irvine, Calif.
LIVE STREAM: Team1Sports (Jonathan Ilten)
MATCH #14 • Friday, Feb. 16 • 7 p.m. PT
Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.
LIVE STREAM: USC Stream (MJ Newsom & Jack Smith)
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 14-6 (.700)
LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (April 15, 2023 • Galen Center)
STREAK: Won 6 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 6-4
OPPONENT WEBSITE: CUIGoldenEagles.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
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LAST TIME OUT: USC split matches with Big West foe UC Irvine in the Trojans' final tune-up before the start of MPSF play. In its midweek road match, USC took the first set from the Anteaters, but fell in three straight extra-point sets. Jack Deuchar delivered a career-high 21 kills in the loss while Dillon Klein turned in his first-career double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs. Wesley Smith put up a career-high eight blocks in the first meeting. In the rematch, USC got 17 more kills from Klein. Riley Haine added a career-high 13 kills and Smith tallied another eight blocks in a four-set win at Galen Center. The Trojans out-blocked their opponent for the 10th time and had the same (13) block total in their second match with the seventh-ranked Anteaters.
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HAPPY HOME PARADISE:Â USC opened the season with four straight matches at home. The Trojans hosted HBCUs Fort Valley State and Morehouse College and then welcomed Harvard and Lincoln Memorial. In all, USC plays 15 of its 26 regular season matches at Galen Center and hosts both the SIAC Tournament to open the spring and the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge in March. The Trojans' home arena will also serve as host to the 2024 MPSF Tournament, April 17-20.
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POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 12 in the AVCA/NVA Preseason Coaches Poll. 2024 marks the expansion of the poll to 20 teams (previously 15). USC is currently ranked No. 12 in the Feb. 12 poll.
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BIG BLOCK ENERGY: The Trojans' 2.77 blocks per set leads the MPSF and ranks second in the nation. USC has produced eight matches in double-digit blocks and set a season-high mark with 15.5 blocks against No. 4 Ohio State on Jan. 20. During a four-match stretch from Jan. 11-19, USC progressively finished with a higher block total; and had 12.5 against Harvard (Jan. 11), 13.0 against Lincoln Memorial (Jan. 13); and then put up 15.0 against Ball State (Jan. 19) before the 15.5 against the Buckeyes. In all, USC has out-blocked its opponent in 10 of 12 matches this spring. In one other match (vs. UC Irvine, Feb. 10) the Trojans had the same block total as the Anteaters (13.0).
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GREATEST HITS: USC has hit better than its opponent in 10 of 12 contests. In fact, USC has hit better than .300 in nine contests and had a season-high .614 hitting percentage in a win over Morehouse College (Jan. 6). USC's .352 hitting ranks third in the third in the MPSF and is fifth nationally.Â
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POW-WOW: Trojans have taken home three MPSF weekly awards this spring. Sr. MB Kyle Paulson earned his first-career honor on Jan. 22 as the Defensive Player of the Week. He was also chosen as the Off the Block National Middle Attacker of the Week. On Feb. 12, So. OH Dillon Klein was named the Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career (Apr. 17, 2023). Fr. MB Wesley Smith was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Week for his first-career award. It marked the first time Trojans swept both the offensive and defensive awards since March 7, 2022, when Lucas Frassrand (Offense) and Chris Hall (Defense) were chosen the same week.
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MOUNTAIN SPECIFIC: USC was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation head coaches. Last season, the Trojans were chosen to finish fourth and went 3-9 to take sixth place in the final standings. The Men of Troy are 34-20 all-time in conference openers.
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DOUBLE-UP: Three Trojans have recorded double-doubles in their careers, both setters. So. Ryan Sprague produced a double-double with 30 assists and 12 digs in his collegiate debut against UC Santa Barbara in 2023. Fr. Caleb Blanchette put up 48 assists and 10 digs in a win over Lincoln Memorial for his first-career double-double on Jan. 13. Dillon Klein posted his first-career double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs against UC Irvine (Feb. 7).
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THIS WEEK
No. 12 USC (8-4, 0-0 MPSF) vs. Concordia (5-1, 0-0 MPSF)
MATCH #13 • Wednesday, Feb. 14 • 7 p.m. PT
CU Arena • Irvine, Calif.
LIVE STREAM: Team1Sports (Jonathan Ilten)
MATCH #14 • Friday, Feb. 16 • 7 p.m. PT
Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.
LIVE STREAM: USC Stream (MJ Newsom & Jack Smith)
SERIES RECORD: USC leads, 14-6 (.700)
LAST MEETING: W 3-0 (April 15, 2023 • Galen Center)
STREAK: Won 6 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 6-4
OPPONENT WEBSITE: CUIGoldenEagles.com
FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)
- USC is led by ninth-year head coach Jeff Nygaard, a three-time Olympian in indoor and beach volleyball and a two-time NCAA champion.
- The Trojans are ranked 12th in the AVCA/NVA Coaches Poll. This year's poll is expanded to include 20 teams for the first time.
- The Men of Troy are 34-20 all-time in conference openers.
- USC has reached double-digit blocks in eight matches and has had more blocks than its opponent in 10 of 12 contests. The Trojans' 2.77 blocks per set leads the MPSF and ranks second in the nation.
- The Trojans have out-hit their opponent in 10 matches. USC's .352 hitting percentage ranks third in the MPSF and is fifth in the NCAA.
- Freshmen Wesley Smith (MB), Jakobi Lange (OH), Jack Ebertin (OH), Brad Pan (LIB), and transfer Josh Friedman (S) were rated the No. 1 recruiting class by VolleyballMag.com. Smith was the No. 1-ranked individual player.
- Fr. S Caleb Blanchette signed to be a part of the Trojans' 2025 freshman class in November, but completed high school requirements and reclassified to join USC's 2024 class in time to compete in the spring.
- Sr. MB Kyle Paulson ranks third in the MPSF (eighth, NCAA) for blocks (1.16Â bps).
- Jeff Nygaard--a 2020 inductee to the Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame--will also be inducted into the USAV Hall of Fame in 2024.
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LAST TIME OUT: USC split matches with Big West foe UC Irvine in the Trojans' final tune-up before the start of MPSF play. In its midweek road match, USC took the first set from the Anteaters, but fell in three straight extra-point sets. Jack Deuchar delivered a career-high 21 kills in the loss while Dillon Klein turned in his first-career double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs. Wesley Smith put up a career-high eight blocks in the first meeting. In the rematch, USC got 17 more kills from Klein. Riley Haine added a career-high 13 kills and Smith tallied another eight blocks in a four-set win at Galen Center. The Trojans out-blocked their opponent for the 10th time and had the same (13) block total in their second match with the seventh-ranked Anteaters.
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HAPPY HOME PARADISE:Â USC opened the season with four straight matches at home. The Trojans hosted HBCUs Fort Valley State and Morehouse College and then welcomed Harvard and Lincoln Memorial. In all, USC plays 15 of its 26 regular season matches at Galen Center and hosts both the SIAC Tournament to open the spring and the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge in March. The Trojans' home arena will also serve as host to the 2024 MPSF Tournament, April 17-20.
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POLL POSITION: The Trojans were ranked No. 12 in the AVCA/NVA Preseason Coaches Poll. 2024 marks the expansion of the poll to 20 teams (previously 15). USC is currently ranked No. 12 in the Feb. 12 poll.
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BIG BLOCK ENERGY: The Trojans' 2.77 blocks per set leads the MPSF and ranks second in the nation. USC has produced eight matches in double-digit blocks and set a season-high mark with 15.5 blocks against No. 4 Ohio State on Jan. 20. During a four-match stretch from Jan. 11-19, USC progressively finished with a higher block total; and had 12.5 against Harvard (Jan. 11), 13.0 against Lincoln Memorial (Jan. 13); and then put up 15.0 against Ball State (Jan. 19) before the 15.5 against the Buckeyes. In all, USC has out-blocked its opponent in 10 of 12 matches this spring. In one other match (vs. UC Irvine, Feb. 10) the Trojans had the same block total as the Anteaters (13.0).
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GREATEST HITS: USC has hit better than its opponent in 10 of 12 contests. In fact, USC has hit better than .300 in nine contests and had a season-high .614 hitting percentage in a win over Morehouse College (Jan. 6). USC's .352 hitting ranks third in the third in the MPSF and is fifth nationally.Â
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POW-WOW: Trojans have taken home three MPSF weekly awards this spring. Sr. MB Kyle Paulson earned his first-career honor on Jan. 22 as the Defensive Player of the Week. He was also chosen as the Off the Block National Middle Attacker of the Week. On Feb. 12, So. OH Dillon Klein was named the Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career (Apr. 17, 2023). Fr. MB Wesley Smith was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Week for his first-career award. It marked the first time Trojans swept both the offensive and defensive awards since March 7, 2022, when Lucas Frassrand (Offense) and Chris Hall (Defense) were chosen the same week.
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MOUNTAIN SPECIFIC: USC was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation head coaches. Last season, the Trojans were chosen to finish fourth and went 3-9 to take sixth place in the final standings. The Men of Troy are 34-20 all-time in conference openers.
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DOUBLE-UP: Three Trojans have recorded double-doubles in their careers, both setters. So. Ryan Sprague produced a double-double with 30 assists and 12 digs in his collegiate debut against UC Santa Barbara in 2023. Fr. Caleb Blanchette put up 48 assists and 10 digs in a win over Lincoln Memorial for his first-career double-double on Jan. 13. Dillon Klein posted his first-career double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 14 digs against UC Irvine (Feb. 7).
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