Men’s volleyball earn hard-fought win in home opener against No. 12 UC Santa Barbara


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Simon Gallas was the 3rd highest score on the squad against UC Santa Barbara. Freshman outside hitter Dillon Klein topped the list with 20 kills and grad student opposite hitter Kevin Kobrine got 15. (Brooks Taylor | Daily Trojan )

In front of a record-setting crowd, the No. 10 USC men’s volleyball team captured their first ranked win of the season against UC Santa Barbara in their home opener Thursday night. 

“It was a really great night of volleyball,” said Head Coach Jeff Nygaard. “It made me proud of USC and it made me proud of what we’re doing.”

The stage was set for a great night of volleyball. One thousand five hundred and eight fans packed Galen Center, setting a record for attendance at a home opener for men’s volleyball. The Trojans looked to make it a game to remember for the fans, with a big ranked win against a team they had lost to just a couple weeks earlier. 

But, in a heavyweight fight of a first set in which both teams hit well, UCSB landed more blows for a 25-21 set win and a 1-0 match lead. For much of the second set, it looked like the slow start might be turning into a bad game.  With the score 11-5 in the second set and the team already down 1-0, the mood of the jubilant opening night was threatening to sour. In response, Coach Nygaard inserted freshman setter, Ryan Sprague, into the lineup. With Sprague doing the setting, something clicked for the offense. 

“I think the rest of the game we hit .500,” Nygaard said. 

When Sprague was put into the game, he immediately felt the excitement of playing in his first home collegiate match against old friends and used that energy to his advantage. 

“I was fired up,” Sprague said. “I’ve played against these guys [on UCSB] my whole life … I was just really fired up to be a part of this game.”

Behind Sprague’s energy and a will to come back, the Trojans won the second set 25-22 and tied the match 1-1. The momentum carried over to the pivotal third set. With the score nearly even midway through the set, redshirt junior opposite hitter Simon Gallas scored back-to-back service aces, the first two service aces of the game for either team. The Trojans never looked back, winning another set 25-22. 

But Santa Barbara didn’t go quietly. UCSB grabbed an early lead in the fourth set and continued to build on it. They came away with a decisive 25-18 set win, knotting the match at 2-2, and forcing a winner-take-all fifth set. With the game on the line, both teams refused to give an inch. With the score knotted at 11-11 in the short, first-to-15 set, Sprague was thrust into the spotlight at a crucial moment once again. It was Sprague’s turn to serve, and the pressure was on. Good serving could help the Trojans take the lead. All Sprague felt in that moment was excitement. 

“I’ve dreamed of this moment my whole life, I’ve been an SC fan my whole life, so all I’ve ever wanted to do is come play in the Galen Center,” Sprague said. “So I was like, let’s just go live it, let’s just go have the best time ever. I’ll never forget this.”

He rose to the occasion. When his turn to serve ended, it was 14-12 Trojans. One service error from UCSB later, and the Trojans were celebrating a fifth-set win against a tough team. Nygaard was full of respect for Santa Barbara and praise for his Trojans after the victory. 

“You have to earn it from [UCSB], they’re never gonna give it to you,” Nygaard said. “So, we know they play great volleyball, we knew we were in for a long haul, and I’m just really proud of our guys for having that resilience.”

Sprague was a hero for the energy and spark he brought to the offense, but he also stuffed the stat sheet for good measure. His 30 assists and 12 digs were good for his first collegiate double-double. Sprague felt like his skilled teammates made it easy to come in and perform. 

“I just let our hitters eat,” Sprague said. “We got [graduate transfer outside hitter] Kevin Kobrine and [freshman outside hitter] Dillon Klein, and no one can jump with them. No one could jump with them today in that gym.”

Speaking of Klein, the freshman phenom led the team in kills once again with a whopping 20. If he continues to have success, Trojan fans might have to start calling him “Killin’” Klein. It all came together for a 3-2 victory that sent the record-breaking crowd into a frenzy. Nygaard made sure to thank the fans for the energy they brought all night. 

“I love every one of them,” Nygaard said. “It was such a beautiful, wonderful evening. The energy was electric.”

Trojan fans’ next opportunity to catch their men’s volleyball team at Galen Center will be on Wednesday, Feb. 15 vs. Grand Canyon University at 7 p.m.