Men’s volleyball travels east for cross-conference tourney


Junior setter Chris Hall recorded season highs in assists, digs and total blocks against Princeton. USC will take on Ohio State and Penn State next. (Daily Trojan file photo)

The USC men’s volleyball team is looking to snap its four-game losing streak this weekend at the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge hosted by Penn State. The Trojans will face Ohio State Friday and No. 10 Penn State Sunday.

This isn’t the Trojans’ first trip to the Pac-12/Big Ten Challenge. Last year, USC took down both the Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes in hard-fought 3-2 matches. However, with the loss of key senior offensive players, this weekend carries no guarantee of similar success.

The Buckeyes are currently undefeated this season, consistently holding opponents under 20 points and only losing one set out of the season’s 16. 

While USC comes in with a 1-4 record, the Trojans have had a tougher pre-conference lineup that included a promising 3-2 win over No. 13 Princeton and a tight four-set loss to No. 4 Long Beach State last Friday.

USC has proven powerful at the net, averaging 10.5 kills per set. Junior middle blocker Kyle Gear leads the front row, logging double-digit kills in three games this season, while sophomore outside hitter Brandon Browning follows with a .226 offensive production rate.

With a roster consisting of just one senior and 15 underclassmen, an adjustment in offensive intensity from the high school level to college is expected in early season play. However, the Trojans’ offense depends on the defense providing for junior setter Chris Hall, meaning ball movement will have to be cleaner for hitters to finish the point.

Scouting Ohio State, its blocking efficiency explains much of the past runaway wins. Freshman middle blocker Samuel Clark was just named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week after a decimating eight-block performance against Lincoln Memorial. Sophomore middle blocker Ethan Talley is three short of Clark with 16 total blocks in the season. For comparison, USC has a team total of 26 blocks. 

Looking at Penn State, its back row prowess is what earns the high ranking. The Nittany Lions’ aces have dismantled serve receptions, with their season total nearly triple that of their opponents’. Sophomore libero Will Bantle racked up 19 digs in a five-set comeback against No. 7 Lewis, a testament to the toughness this team has against high-level offenses.

The tournament host will provide a tough but necessary matchup to prepare the Trojans for Pac-12 conference play, which begins next week. If USC is hoping for a successful weekend, head coach Jeff Nygaard’s squad has to look back at its solo win strategy against Princeton to keep pace with the high-level competition the Trojans are expected to face. 

USC faces off against Ohio State at 10:30 a.m. Friday and Penn State at 10 a.m. Sunday.