USC Men’s Volleyball Stays Perfect with Five-Set Thriller Over No. 16 CSUN
LOS ANGELES - The fourth-ranked USC men’s volleyball team is still undefeated, but it didn’t come easy. In a five-set battle at Galen Center on Wednesday night, the Trojans (6-0) edged out a gritty No. 16 CSUN squad (7-2), 25-19, 25-20, 19-25, 17-25, 15-13, to remain perfect on the season for the second year in a row.
This one had everything-momentum swings, standout performances, and a fifth set that came down to the wire. And while the Matadors may have won the statistical battle, USC came out on top where it mattered most: the scoreboard.
Key Contributors
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Wesley Smith continued his hot streak with another standout performance. He led the Trojans with 15.0 points, hitting a blistering .600 on 10 kills with just one error in 15 attempts. Add in six blocks (two solo) and a service ace, and Smith was a force on both sides of the net.
Senior outside hitter Dillon Klein added 13 kills and nine digs in his 67th career match with double-digit kills-yet another example of his consistency and leadership on the floor.
Redshirt junior opposite Noah Roberts chipped in 12 kills on a .370 clip and added two blocks, while sophomore outside Sterling Foley contributed 11 kills and three digs. Sophomore middle Parker Tomkinson made the most of his extended minutes, finishing with five kills and five digs in a solid showing.
Junior setter Caleb Blanchette ran the offense with 45 assists and added seven digs, helping USC stay composed through the ebbs and flows of a tightly contested match.
For CSUN, Jordan Lucas was nothing short of spectacular. The outside hitter exploded for a career-high 30 kills on .509 hitting, carrying the Matador offense and keeping them in it until the final point.
Jalen Phillips added 20 kills and three blocks, and setter Owen Douphner dished out 55 assists. Libero Joao Avila anchored the back row with 10 digs and chipped in eight kills of his own.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
Set 1 - USC came out firing, stringing together four straight kills to jump to a 5-2 lead and never looking back. Roberts, Klein, and Tomkinson led a Trojan attack that hit .565 in the opening frame. CSUN stayed within striking distance late, but Klein’s back-row kill and a Tomkinson block sealed the 25-19 win.
Set 2 - A back-and-forth start gave way to a Trojan surge. USC broke a 7-7 tie and built a pair of seven-point leads before holding off a late CSUN push. Roberts added four more kills, and the Trojans hit .375 in the set to take a 2-0 lead with a 25-20 finish.
Set 3 - CSUN flipped the script. After trading early points, Lucas caught fire with five straight kills to give the Matadors a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. He finished the set with 11 kills as CSUN hit .412 and took it 25-19, cutting USC’s lead to 2-1.
Set 4 - The Matadors kept rolling. Phillips took over with eight kills, and CSUN’s offense was nearly untouchable, hitting a scorching .650.
The Trojans struggled to find rhythm, hitting just .167, and found themselves on the wrong end of a 25-17 score. Just like that, we were headed to a decisive fifth.
Set 5 - This one had all the drama. Seven ties in the first 14 rallies set the tone.
Then, USC’s Thiago Zamprogno delivered back-to-back kills to give the Trojans a 7-6 edge. Two straight blocks pushed the lead to 10-7, and from there, USC never trailed again.
Lucas and Phillips kept CSUN close, but Zamprogno’s third kill of the set clinched it, 15-13, and USC survived the scare.
By the Numbers
CSUN actually out-hit USC on the night, .376 to .333, and held advantages in kills (67-58), assists (65-57), blocks (14.5-7.0), and aces (5-2). Both teams finished with 38 digs apiece, highlighting just how evenly matched this battle was.
But in the end, it was USC’s resilience-and a few timely plays down the stretch-that made the difference.
What’s Next
The Trojans return to Galen Center on Saturday to host UCSB (5-3) in a 5 p.m. PT matchup that will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus. With a 5-0 home record and 16 total matches scheduled at Galen this spring, USC is building a fortress in Los Angeles.
They also improved to 54-35 all-time against CSUN and are now 2-0 in five-set matches this season-something that could prove crucial as the schedule ramps up.
For now, USC keeps the streak alive. But if Wednesday night was any indication, the road ahead won’t be without its challenges. This team has the talent and depth to weather them-and maybe even make another deep postseason run.