As sophomore outside hitter Dani Thomas-Nathan’s serve fell into the net, the crowd at Galen Center fell silent. Washington had just dominated the third set 25-17, earning a two-to-one-set advantage and closing in on an upset victory.

It was not supposed to go this way. The crowd was electric at the start of the game, galvanized by USC’s (13-7, 7-3 Pac-12) thrilling comeback win over No. 4 Washington State (18-3, 8-2) Friday night. However, the Huskies (13-8, 4-6) were unimpressed with the Trojans’ win over their rivals, coming out firing and covering every inch of the court. Their stellar serving and relentless defending left USC searching for answers early.

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“I thought Washington was the best serving team I’ve seen in maybe two or three years,” said Head Coach Brad Keller. “They were putting so much stress on us, it was unbelievable.”

Three of Washington’s first four points came via service ace, and Keller was eventually forced into making significant changes to his back line. Graduate libero Ellie Snook, who starred in the win over Washington State, was replaced by sophomore libero Gala Trubint, who was able to help stabilize the Trojans.

USC’s early woes did not lie just with its back line. The Trojans attacked with an abysmal .118 hitting percentage in the third set. However, with their backs against the walls, help came from a familiar face. All-American senior outside hitter Skylar Fields had a remarkable 12 kills, four blocks in the final two sets and just one attacking error. As she has done countless times since arriving in Los Angeles last year, Fields forced her opponents to simply enjoy the show as she placed the ball in every open corner of the court.

“Our liberos and our littles were doing a really good job lifting the ball. So [junior setter Mia Tuaniga] was able to place it, and I was just able to go and attack,” Fields said. “Hearing from my teammates where to place the ball was very helpful. Most of my kills are because they’re telling me where to hit the ball.”

USC attacked with a .389 hitting percentage in the fifth set, with just one error, after making 22 in the first four sets. After trailing 8-6, a run of seven consecutive points, including four via Fields, put the Trojans firmly in control, and they never looked back. A kill from graduate opposite hitter Kalyah Williams on match point sealed victory for USC. The crowd at Galen roared as Keller and his coaching staff breathed a collective sigh of relief.

While a five-setter with a struggling conference opponent is never ideal, Keller views how his team reacts to this weekend as a decisive point in their season. While the wins are key to the progression of their season, the Trojans are a week removed from losing three of four games, and their play remains erratic. The coaching staff remains focused on improving discipline and building consistency.

“I let my team down because I didn’t focus on the right things, and I let them be complacent, and I have vowed that’s not going to happen going forward,” Keller said. “We’ve had two wins and they’re going to have the hardest practice they can possibly imagine Tuesday.”

Sunday’s win improved USC to 8-0 at Galen Center this season, but struggles on the road have stopped the Trojans from finding sustained success. They are just 3-7 on the road this year, after going 6-8 away from home in 2022.

While the home crowd certainly provides a boost, Keller attributed the issue to the discrepancy in preparation. His team struggles with the routine and limited practice time that comes with a road trip, a problem that needs to be solved before two crucial upcoming road trips against Pac-12 opposition.

“This a really huge opportunity for [us] to either take this next step or we can choose to be complacent and stay exactly where we’ve been, which is the ups and downs and the highs and lows,” Keller said.

USC will now head back on the road to face Colorado (12-9, 4-6) and Utah (9-11, 4-6). Two matchups with middling conference opposition will be an important test to see if the Trojans can adjust their routines and take care of business.