LOS ANGELES – The No. 22 USC women’s volleyball team delivered a decisive performance Wednesday night, sweeping crosstown rival UCLA in straight sets at the Galen Center. The Women of Troy returned the favor after a sweep by the Bruins earlier this season, claiming victory with set scores of 25-23, 25-23, and 25-20.
The victory improves USC’s record to 16-5 overall and 7-4 in Big Ten conference play, while UCLA falls to 12-9 on the season and 6-5 in the conference. The match was a story of USC’s balanced and effective offense overcoming a statistically strong hitting night from the Bruins.
From the start, the energy was high in the second chapter of this season’s rivalry. USC established an early 7-3 lead in the first set, forcing UCLA to play from behind. The Bruins battled back, tying the set and even taking a slim 19-17 lead. However, the Women of Troy responded with a critical 3-0 run to regain control at 21-20. The set remained tight, but a late service error from UCLA handed USC the opening frame, 25-23.
The second set saw UCLA build a commanding 14-8 lead, looking poised to even the match. But USC methodically chipped away at the deficit. Through a series of key plays and by capitalizing on Bruin mistakes, the Trojans mounted a comeback, eventually tying the score and taking a 17-16 lead. UCLA briefly regained momentum at 21-20, but another service error shifted the tide back to USC. The Trojans closed out the set with the identical score of 25-23 to take a 2-0 match lead.
With the sweep in sight, USC carried its momentum into the third set. The teams traded points early before the Trojans edged ahead 11-9. They steadily built their advantage, leading 15-12 at the media timeout and extending it to 20-16. UCLA fought to stay in the match, closing the gap to 21-19, but USC’s attack proved too much. The Women of Troy finished the set 25-20, securing the sweep and a significant conference win.
USC’s offense was led by a trio of powerful attackers. Adonia Faumuina was a dominant force, leading all players with 16 kills. London Wijay and Abigail Mullen were also instrumental, each contributing 11 kills to the Trojans’ balanced attack. This widespread offensive effort kept the UCLA defense off balance throughout the evening.
Despite the loss, UCLA actually out-hit USC with a .302 hitting percentage compared to the Trojans’ .285. It marked the first time this season the Bruins have lost when holding an advantage in hitting percentage. Maggie Li and Cheridyn Leverette led the Bruins with 11 kills each. However, UCLA was plagued by 11 service errors, which repeatedly stalled their momentum at crucial moments in the first two sets.
The victory for USC not only evens the season series with their rival but also provides a significant boost in the competitive Big Ten standings.
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