USC Outlasts Ohio State in Five-Set Thriller to Stay Perfect at 5-0
LOS ANGELES - In a heavyweight showdown between two top-15 programs, No. 4 USC men’s volleyball showed grit, poise, and a whole lot of firepower to outlast No.
13 Ohio State in a five-set battle at Galen Center. The Trojans improved to 5-0 on the season with the 25-19, 21-25, 25-27, 27-25, 15-11 victory, and they had to earn every point the hard way.
Let’s break this one down, because it was a rollercoaster from start to finish.
Klein Comes Up Clutch-Again
Senior outside hitter Dillon Klein was, once again, the go-to guy when it mattered most. He racked up 25 points on 20 kills, two aces, and five blocks, hitting .319 on 47 swings.
It marked his 66th career match with double-digit kills and his ninth going over the 20-kill mark. When the Trojans needed a big swing or a steady hand, Klein delivered-especially in the fourth set, where his late kills helped USC claw back to force a fifth.
Foley’s Two-Way Impact
Sophomore outside hitter Sterling Foley was a two-way force. Offensively, he was efficient and aggressive, putting down 12 kills on 24 swings for a .417 hitting percentage.
Defensively, he matched his career high with six blocks-two of them solo-and added eight digs. Foley also chipped in a service ace and was instrumental in USC’s late-set surges, particularly in the fourth, where he racked up five points with a blend of power and presence at the net.
Middle Strength from Smith
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Wesley Smith had a quietly dominant night. He hit .471 with 10 kills on 17 attempts and added seven blocks, two of them solo. It was his seventh career match in double-digit kills, and he was a stabilizing force in the middle, especially when USC needed to slow down Ohio State’s momentum.
Roberts and Blanchette Provide the Glue
Redshirt junior opposite Noah Roberts chipped in with 10 kills, a service ace, and two blocks-six of those kills coming in the first set alone, setting the tone early. Junior setter Caleb Blanchette ran the offense with composure, dishing out 32 assists and setting a new career high with 14 digs for his sixth career double-double. His ability to keep the offense balanced and unpredictable was a major factor in USC’s ability to navigate Ohio State’s defensive adjustments.
Ohio State Pushed Hard
To their credit, the Buckeyes didn’t make life easy. Stanislaw Chacinski was electric, leading all players with 22 kills and adding seven digs.
Shane Wetzel added 15 kills, though his efficiency took a hit with 14 errors on 51 swings. Daniel Henwood Rodriguez quarterbacked the Buckeye offense with 47 assists and eight digs, while Owen Pickering posted a double-double of his own with 12 kills and 10 digs.
How It Unfolded: Set by Set
Set 1:
USC came out sharp, hitting .394 with 14 kills and just one error.
Roberts led the early charge, and the Trojans never trailed after an early 3-3 tie. A kill from Roberts put USC up 24-17, and they closed it out 25-19.
Set 2:
This one was neck-and-neck until the Buckeyes pulled away late.
Klein had six kills, but Ohio State’s offense clicked with 15 kills and four aces. Chacinski had eight kills in the frame, and the Buckeyes evened things up with a 25-21 win.
Set 3:
Ohio State led for most of the set, but USC kept grinding.
Klein’s line shot tied it at 24, and the Trojans fended off two set points. Ultimately, the Buckeyes’ service pressure proved too much, and they took it 27-25.
Wetzel added seven kills in the third, bringing his total to 13.
Set 4:
This was a test of will.
The set featured 16 ties and five lead changes, and USC had to fight off two set points to survive. Foley and Smith came up big down the stretch, and the Trojans edged it out 27-25 to force a decisive fifth.
Set 5:
With the momentum finally swinging their way, USC jumped out to a 4-1 lead and never looked back.
They hit a blistering .583 in the final frame with seven kills on 12 swings and no errors. Klein, Foley, and Cooper Keane each had two kills in the fifth, while USC’s defense forced five Buckeye errors-two of them on blocks.
Pickering and Chacinski tried to keep Ohio State in it, but the Trojans had too much juice down the stretch.
What’s Next
USC now turns its attention to a pair of home matchups next week. First up is CSUN (7-1) on Wednesday, followed by UC Santa Barbara (5-3) on Saturday.
Both matches will be played at Galen Center, where the Trojans are a perfect 4-0 this season. With 16 home matches on the schedule, USC is clearly making the most of its home-court advantage.
Match Notes
- USC improved to 21-9 all-time against Ohio State and has now won two straight in the series.
- This was the Trojans' first five-set match of the season and the first time they’ve trailed in sets this year.
- The Trojans were out-hit in several statistical categories-kills (63-60), digs (51-46), and aces (7-4)-but made up the difference with superior efficiency and a massive 14.5-5.5 edge in blocks.
This one had all the makings of a postseason-type battle-top teams trading punches, momentum swings, and standout performances on both sides. And when the dust settled, USC showed why it's a top-five team with eyes on a deep run this spring.