It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. Yet, the USC men’s volleyball team remains undefeated with five wins and a donut in the loss column. 

No. 6 USC (5-0) defeated No. 15 California State University, Northridge (5-1) by a score of 3-1 in a high-profile, non-conference match Wednesday night at Premier America Credit Union Arena. The Trojans managed to beat the Matadors in four sets (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-13), remaining undefeated this season with a perfect 5-0 record. 

“We just kept making different adjustments, and the guys are really good at making those and executing,” said 10-year Head Coach Jeff Nygaard in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “Proud of the team and proud of the effort tonight.”

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The first set featured back-and-forth scoring by the Trojans and Matadors, with the Trojans ultimately dropping the set 23-25. USC’s first-set loss snapped a streak of 12 straight sets won by the Trojans. 

In his conversations with the team, Nygaard stressed the importance of being “elite problem solvers” and “making adjustments” throughout the match. While opponents have come out playing hot against them, the Trojans have been able to analyze plays and make crucial adjustments in-game, helping them stay undefeated.

While the Trojans faltered in the first set to an aggressive Matadors team, Nygaard and his players embraced problem-solving and made some in-game adjustments for the following sets. 

The second and third sets started off with USC and CSUN going back and forth, point for point, once again. However, the Trojans ultimately won both sets, 25-23 and 25-22, respectively. The  Trojans hit .241 during the second set and recorded 11 kills, with superstar junior outside hitter Dillon Klein contributing five of those kills. The third set was highlighted by six USC blocks, holding CSUN to a .229 hitting rate. 

After clawing for each point in the first three sets, the Trojans pulled away in the fourth and final set, dominating the Matadors 25-13. USC rolled past CSUN in the fourth set, largely due to USC going error-free on offense and Klein racking up seven kills on 11 swings.

Klein was a big part of this Trojan win, racking up 22.5 points and 17 kills — .351 hitting — and a career-high nine blocks. Another key player that powered the Trojans victory was redshirt sophomore outside hitter Noah Roberts, who scored 17 points with 15 kills — .312 hitting.

After the game, when asked about making any adjustments in practice, Roberts gave a simple response and didn’t mention any technical aspect of the game to improve on. 

“We’re just gonna keep rolling,” Roberts said. “We have some good momentum, and we’re gonna carry that through.”

Nygaard, on the other hand, has a much different mindset. Despite the Trojans’ flawless start to the season, he believes there is at least one thing in particular that the team can work on. 

“We could always get better at maniac defense,” Nygaard said. “We could do more and more. It’s [a] relentless defense that we’re pursuing.”

Nygaard’s vision for “maniac defense” is having his players put their bodies on the line and dive for any ball in play. Nygaard believes opponents are more likely to be intimidated by a team with relentless, lockdown defense on the other side of the net. 

The Trojans will look to keep their win streak alive during a road trip to the Midwest, where they will face Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. After a short stint in Wilberforce, the Trojans will travel east to Columbus, Ohio, for the Big Ten Challenge, where they will face Ohio State and Penn State next weekend.