USC tops UCSB with convincing sweep


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With strong efforts from senior opposite Murphy Troy, senior Riley McKibbin and senior opposite hitter Tri Bourne, the USC men’s volleyball senior class demonstrated why they are one of the best to ever grace the Galen Center hardwood. In a thrilling match from start to finish, No. 1 USC outlasted No. 6 UC Santa Barbara in three sets, winning 25-21, 25-21, 30-28.

Stellar play · Senior opposite Murphy Troy finished with 10 kills and six blocks in USC’s regular-season home finale against No. 6 UCSB. - Tim Tran | Daily Trojan

“[The seniors] resurrected this program,” said USC coach Bill Ferguson. “We’re nowhere without them.”

Despite the sweep, USC was forced to grind out each set. Ferguson said he appreciated the opportunity to play a competitive match in preparation for the postseason.

“This was a great match for us to play going into the playoffs,” Ferguson said. “They’re one of the few teams in the league that’s as big and physical as we are. We can’t just overpower them.”

A poor Gaucho service game distinguished the two teams on Saturday night. While the Trojans complemented their eight service errors with four aces, the Gauchos’ one ace did not compensate for their 15 service errors.

“I thought we served pretty well,” Ferguson said. “You always want to do a little bit better. Tony [Ciarelli] and Murphy [Troy] got them in trouble with some tough serves, and I think it was fitting that Riley [McKibbin] ended the match with an ace.”

Although the Gauchos’ serving woes helped, the Trojans’ strong play kept UCSB out of the match. Deep into the second set, junior outside hitter Tony Ciarelli, who had 13 kills at a blistering .550 clip, rocketed a ruthless kill off of an unsuspecting UC Santa Barbara player’s face.

Ferguson also noted USC’s blocking effort was outstanding, as the Trojans amassed several ‘roof’ blocks. All told, the Trojans out-blocked the Gauchos 12.5 to 3.

“As a team, we blocked fantastically tonight,” Ferguson said. “Usually we want to average about three per set, but we beat that mark by a wide margin.”

The total team effort was highlighted by the seniors, especially McKibbin. In the third set, McKibbin emerged with some timely, quick surprise kills. The captain managed to win a couple of jousts against taller defenders, while still setting USC’s big hitters with precision. McKibbin finished the night with four kills, 35 assists, and an ace.

“Riley was unreal,” Ferguson said. “He ran a great offense, kept a couple of plays alive, and really led us through some tough sets.”