Head Coach Brad Keller entered the away team’s locker room, where several players dressed in gold waited anxiously for what their coach had to say. Keller slammed his clipboard to the ground and said just two words: “Hell yeah!”

His team defeated two future conference rivals in Illinois and No. 17 Purdue at the Boilermaker Challenge. After starting the season 1-4, the Trojans have won five straight games.

“[It was] great because the level of volleyball in the Big Ten is so good, so physical, so fast,” Keller said. “And to see that, to play at that level and match it was really fun on a lot of levels.”

Senior outside hitter Skylar Fields won tournament MVP and racked up 52 kills in the two tournament games combined. In her last three games, Fields recorded at least 25 kills in each of them.

Sophomore libero Gala Trubint earned all-tournament team honors after posting 33 digs in the two games.

The Trojans began the Boilermaker Challenge with a 3-2 victory against Illinois Thursday. Fields scored a career-high 30.5 points and led everyone with 25 kills in 60 attempts. The two-time AVCA All-American also had nine digs, five blocks and a career-high three service aces.

Junior setter Mia Tuaniga recorded her fourth double-double of the season by having 45 assists with 11 digs, while also having a career-high six kills.

Trubint’s 21 digs led all players and tied her season-high. It is the tenth time Trubint has recorded 20 or more digs in a match.

The Trojans had a hitting percentage of .245, while the Fighting Illini hit .198, including a .026 fourth-set performance that allowed USC to tie the game at two sets apiece.

The next day, USC upset No. 17 Purdue with an offensive explosion in a 3-1 victory. The Trojans hit .333 with a very nice 69 kills, a season high.

Once again, Fields led all players with 27 kills, including 11 kills in a 30-28 first-set victory. She also had 12 digs to complete her second double-double of the season.

Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Tyrah Ariail had a career-high 15 kills along with a career-high .778 hitting percentage, the highest mark by a Trojan in 22 years. 

Freshman outside hitter London Wijay had her first career double-double, racking up a career-high 18 kills and 12 digs. Wijay led the offense in the final stretch, delivering the Trojans’ final three kills in the fourth set.

“I’ve known [Wijay] for a long time, like 13 years of age,” Keller said. “She’s always been a gamer, and so, she’s wired that way.”

Graduate setter Emily Fitzner came in relief of Tuaniga, collecting a season-high 30 assists with nine digs.

“You’re seeing a lot of these players stepping into their own a little bit more and gain[ing] confidence, and it’s going to help [Fields] out so she doesn’t take 80 or 70-something swings per match,” Keller said.

The Trojans improved to 3-3 versus Illinois all-time. Against Purdue, USC remained undefeated as the all-time series stands at 6-0. The victory against Purdue also marked the Trojans’ first road win this season.

The Trojans’ next challenge? Taking on UCLA after just four days’ rest. The Bruins are 8-2 on the season, with all matches having been away from home.

“UCLA, it’s always gonna be a grudge match, right?” Keller said. “It’s the crosstown rival. I think [Head Coach Alfee Reft], hands down, has done a phenomenal job getting that group to buy in and get going. They’re very physical in the middle.”

The Trojans will play crosstown rival UCLA at Pauley Pavilion Wednesday at 7 p.m.