Following a 3-0 win over Arizona on Friday, USC women’s volleyball returned to the Galen Center on Sunday, determined to defeat No. 15 Arizona State to maintain their perfect home record. Although Arizona State’s quick offense posed a challenge for USC, the Trojans proved themselves defensively and swept the Sun Devils 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-16).
Throughout the first two sets, the Trojans and the Sun Devils were neck and neck. The constant back-and-forth made it seem as though the match belonged to either team, but efficient communication, a sense of togetherness and overall high energy is what put USC ahead.
“I felt the energy. I thought we were going to win after the first serve,” USC head coach Brad Keller said.
For senior outside hitter Skylar Fields, the second set of the match was monumental. With her second kill of the set, the outside hitter reached 2,000 career kills, an achievement that she attributes to her teammates, coaches and all who make up the USC women’s volleyball community.
“Being in an environment where people are constantly wanting to help me grow as a player has really helped me evolve,” Fields said. “It’s cool that I get all the kills, but I couldn’t do it without my teammates passing me the ball and setting. So, I’m glad I get to have this accomplishment, but I want to thank my teammates for that.”
In her final season as a Trojan, Fields has proven to be a true offensive weapon for USC. Her athleticism and accuracy have allowed her to average about five kills per set. This has been critical in recent wins against Arizona and Utah, when she had a combined 43 kills. Today’s match was no exception, as she scored 24 of the team’s total 48 kills, making her the leading scorer.
“She’s a special player, a great kid, and she’s a true leader,” Keller said.
The third set is when the Trojan defense really came to play. With the help of freshman outside hitter London Wijay and junior setter Mia Tuaniga — who led the Trojans in digs — USC held Arizona State to just 16 points, securing the win.
“I think one of our main goals this week was … being ready to react. We’ve worked a lot on defense, and it’s been proven throughout the week, so I’m really pleased with how our team has been doing with defense for sure,” said Fields.
Keller also expressed that he was satisfied with his team’s performance as a whole, following the match.
“They were positive. They were relentless. They were resilient. This is probably the proudest I’ve been of this team this year,” Keller said.
Sunday’s win at the Galen Center is further proof that home court advantage is important to the Trojan’s success. The triumph over Arizona State pushes USC to a 10-0 home record that the team looks to maintain during its final home matches against California, Stanford and UCLA later this month.
In the meantime, USC women’s volleyball must carry its high energy on the road, where it will face tough matches against Washington on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and Washington State on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 12 p.m.