The USC women’s volleyball team is gearing up for two big matchups at the Creighton Classic this week. Following two momentum-building road wins over Pepperdine, where the Trojans dropped just one set, the team will travel to Omaha, Nebraska to take on No. 11 Creighton and Kansas State, with hopes to pick up their third and fourth wins of the season.
“This past weekend gave us confidence. Our goal right now is to strive for that greatness every time we step on the court,” said senior setter Mia Tuaniga.
USC put in two dominant performances against Pepperdine this past weekend, showcasing the potential and power the team brings into the season. Several Trojans came up big in the season-opening victories with multiple reaching big milestones in both the Friday and Saturday matches.
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Junior libero Megan Verbiest stepped up her game, reaching a career-high 15 digs during the second matchup with the Waves. Additionally, junior libero Gala Trubint had 16 digs of her own, reaching double-digit digs for the 50th time in her career.
This year’s Trojan lineup seems to have more depth than in past seasons. USC has a mix of experienced returners, decorated transfers and hungry newcomers.
One new addition projected to make a big impact is graduate transfer outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, who reached the championship of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament last season with Nebraska.
The Trojan roster also features sophomore outside hitter London Wijay, who was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week four times last season and was named to the Pac-12 All- Freshman team.
Mia Tuaniga also returns for her final season as a setter. Tuaniga put up a strong showing last weekend against Pepperdine, handing 43 assists and setting USC to .390 hitting with three digs, two blocks and one service ace.
“This past weekend was really fun, and I’m looking forward to this season all around as it’s my last one,” Tuaniga said. “I’m really just taking each game and practice one at a time.”
USC will have the chance to push for a big upset win against No. 11 Creighton, a team that went undefeated at home last season. In 2023, Creighton also collected 29 wins and the Big East regular season title.
“Creighton is a powerhouse and a top-10 type program,” said Head Coach Brad Keller.
Ahead of the challenging matchup, the Trojans are hungry to build on their recent wins, which gave them a big confidence boost. They aim to take lessons learned over the weekend to prepare for upcoming matches. With new additions to the roster, it can take some time for teams to hit their stride, but the USC players are aware of the process and are prepared to work toward their goals this season.
“By the time we are playing in November versus now, we are going to be a lot more polished with how we set, hit and strike the ball,” Keller said. “We are going a lot faster than we did last year.”
Creighton may be a nationally recognized top volleyball program, but Keller believes the Trojans are ready for the challenge.
“This is gonna be a really great test for us on the road,” Keller said. “They have a lot of pride in what they do and how they do it. It’s gonna be quite the challenge for us, but we are aware and prepared for that.”
Despite the challenges ahead, the Trojans are eager to go up against a top program and get the chance to prove their strength.
“I’m looking forward to playing with this group again and can’t wait to go to war again with these girls,” Tuaniga said.
USC will play Creighton University at 4 p.m. Sunday and Kansas State University at 2 p.m. Friday at D.J. Sokol Arena.
