The Bruins celebrate after winning their Pac-12 opener over USC.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
Bruins Outlast No. 25 USC in Pac-12 Opener
September 25, 2019 | Women's Volleyball
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LOS ANGELES - Five was the magic number in the Pac-12 Conference opening match between UCLA and USC on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom, as the Bruins prevailed on their fifth match point to defeat the Trojans in five sets in front of 3,820 raucous fans. Set scores were 12-25, 25-21, 25-20, 26-28, 15-12.
Returning from an injury suffered just three points into the season, senior Cali Thompson posted her first double-double as a Bruin with 32 assists and 15 digs, while fellow senior Savvy Simo also had one with 14 kills and 15 digs. Junior Mac May added 13 kills, eight digs and two aces and sophomore Kelli Barry recorded 15 digs and two aces. Redshirt sophomore Emily Ryan tallied 10 kills and seven blocks, junior Jenny Mosser had nine kills, nine digs, six blocks and two aces and redshirt sophomore Sabrina Smith compiled four kills and three blocks. The Bruins (6-4, 1-0 Pac-12) hit .219 for the match.
USC (6-5, 0-1 Pac-12) led from start to finish in the opening set, winning 25-12. Ryan posted two of the Bruins' five kills, while Thompson had four digs, as UCLA hit -.087 to the Trojans' .480.
The Bruins rebounded to take each of the next two sets. UCLA scored the first four points in set two and led wire-to-wire. Leading 9-7, a 5-0 run on two May kills, a Thompson ace, a Ryan/May block and a USC error made it 14-7. Seven would be the Bruins' largest lead of the set, as a Simo kill wrapped up a 25-21 victory. May and Simo each had five kills in the second, while Smith added three. Thompson posted five digs. USC still out-hit UCLA, .441 to .417.
UCLA dominated set three as well, as there were only three ties and one lead change. Leading 13-11, the Bruins scored 10 of 13 to go ahead by a set-best nine at 23-14. May (three kills) and Mosser (two kills and an ace) each had three points during the run. On UCLA's third set point, a Mosser/Ryan block closed out a 25-20 win. Mosser recorded four kills in the third, May added three and Thompson had four digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Trojans, .269 to .176.
The Trojans staved off four match points in the fourth, which featured 16 ties and three lead changes, to force a fifth. Down 11-7, a 5-0 UCLA run on kills by Ryan, May and Mosser, a Ryan/May block and a USC service error gave the Bruins the lead. UCLA maintained the edge, and had two match points at 24-22, but USC saved them both. A Simo kill gave the Bruins a third match point, but it was saved. A May kill made it 26-25, but the Trojans would net the next three to move on to the fifth. Ryan and Simo both had five kills in the third. May added three kills, Simo had six digs and Barry posted four. The Bruins were out-hit .268 to .205.
Neither team led by more than three in the fifth set. Trailing 9-7, the Bruins scored five straight on kills by sophomore Hawley Harrer and Mosser, a Ryan/Mosser block, a USC error and another Mosser kill. Leading 14-12, a Barry ace wrapped up a 15-12 win. Mosser posted three kills in the fifth, while Barry had six digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Trojans, .182 to .062.
The Bruins are back in action on Sunday against Arizona State at 12 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The match will be televised on Pac-12 Network and will also feature free live audio on UCLABruins.com.
LOS ANGELES - Five was the magic number in the Pac-12 Conference opening match between UCLA and USC on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom, as the Bruins prevailed on their fifth match point to defeat the Trojans in five sets in front of 3,820 raucous fans. Set scores were 12-25, 25-21, 25-20, 26-28, 15-12.
Returning from an injury suffered just three points into the season, senior Cali Thompson posted her first double-double as a Bruin with 32 assists and 15 digs, while fellow senior Savvy Simo also had one with 14 kills and 15 digs. Junior Mac May added 13 kills, eight digs and two aces and sophomore Kelli Barry recorded 15 digs and two aces. Redshirt sophomore Emily Ryan tallied 10 kills and seven blocks, junior Jenny Mosser had nine kills, nine digs, six blocks and two aces and redshirt sophomore Sabrina Smith compiled four kills and three blocks. The Bruins (6-4, 1-0 Pac-12) hit .219 for the match.
USC (6-5, 0-1 Pac-12) led from start to finish in the opening set, winning 25-12. Ryan posted two of the Bruins' five kills, while Thompson had four digs, as UCLA hit -.087 to the Trojans' .480.
The Bruins rebounded to take each of the next two sets. UCLA scored the first four points in set two and led wire-to-wire. Leading 9-7, a 5-0 run on two May kills, a Thompson ace, a Ryan/May block and a USC error made it 14-7. Seven would be the Bruins' largest lead of the set, as a Simo kill wrapped up a 25-21 victory. May and Simo each had five kills in the second, while Smith added three. Thompson posted five digs. USC still out-hit UCLA, .441 to .417.
UCLA dominated set three as well, as there were only three ties and one lead change. Leading 13-11, the Bruins scored 10 of 13 to go ahead by a set-best nine at 23-14. May (three kills) and Mosser (two kills and an ace) each had three points during the run. On UCLA's third set point, a Mosser/Ryan block closed out a 25-20 win. Mosser recorded four kills in the third, May added three and Thompson had four digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Trojans, .269 to .176.
The Trojans staved off four match points in the fourth, which featured 16 ties and three lead changes, to force a fifth. Down 11-7, a 5-0 UCLA run on kills by Ryan, May and Mosser, a Ryan/May block and a USC service error gave the Bruins the lead. UCLA maintained the edge, and had two match points at 24-22, but USC saved them both. A Simo kill gave the Bruins a third match point, but it was saved. A May kill made it 26-25, but the Trojans would net the next three to move on to the fifth. Ryan and Simo both had five kills in the third. May added three kills, Simo had six digs and Barry posted four. The Bruins were out-hit .268 to .205.
Neither team led by more than three in the fifth set. Trailing 9-7, the Bruins scored five straight on kills by sophomore Hawley Harrer and Mosser, a Ryan/Mosser block, a USC error and another Mosser kill. Leading 14-12, a Barry ace wrapped up a 15-12 win. Mosser posted three kills in the fifth, while Barry had six digs, as the Bruins out-hit the Trojans, .182 to .062.
The Bruins are back in action on Sunday against Arizona State at 12 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. The match will be televised on Pac-12 Network and will also feature free live audio on UCLABruins.com.
Team Stats
USC
UCLA
Kills
67
55
Errors
21
23
Attempts
166
146
Hitting %
.277
.219
Points
86.0
74.0
Assists
63
46
Aces
4
8
Blocks
15.0
11.0
Game Leaders
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