No. 4 Southern California continued its midseason surge with a convincing 3-0 sweep of Menlo on Friday night at Galen Center, winning 25-14, 25-11, 25-20 behind a balanced offense and stifling defense.
The Trojans (13-3, 5-2 MPSF) hit .448 as a team and controlled nearly every phase, outpacing the Oaks (3-12, 2-4) in kills, blocks, digs and service aces. The victory marked USC’s fifth straight win and its 15th consecutive set win.
Freshman outside hitter Cooper Keane led all players with 13 kills on 20 swings with just three errors to hit .500. He added eight digs, two blocks and two aces in a strong all-around effort that paced the Trojans on both sides of the ball. This was Keane’s second match leading the Trojans in kills after his career-high 14 against Penn State earlier this month.
Sophomore outside hitter Sterling Foley provided an efficient boost with six kills on eight errorless swings, while senior outside hitter Dillon Klein added five kills, three service aces and three assists. Sophomore outside hitter Christian Connell chipped in four kills and two blocks, and junior middle blocker Wesley Smith anchored the net with a match-high six blocks.
“We’re playing good team ball,” Klein said. “We’re acting as one out there and really playing together. It’s been working.”
USC’s starters set the tone, but the bench played a key role in keeping the Trojans’ momentum. Non-starters Connell, redshirt junior outside hitter Riley Haine, and freshman setter Andrew Chapin combined for six kills, contributing both offensively and defensively to maintain USC’s rhythm and pressure on Menlo throughout the sweep. Their efforts helped the Trojans sustain a balanced attack while starters focused on dominating at the net and controlling the service line.
“These guys have been working real hard in practice the whole year,” said Klein. “It’s nice to see them out on the floor.”
Directing the offense was junior setter Caleb Blanchette with 17 assists in limited action, helping the Trojans hit better than .400 for the eighth time this season.
The Trojans seized control immediately and never trailed in the opening set. USC hit .500 with 15 kills and just three errors, while holding Menlo to a .100 clip. Keane led the charge with six kills, and Klein added four as USC cruised to a 25-14 win.
The second set was even more dominant. USC committed no attacking errors and hit .684 with 13 kills on 19 swings in a 25-11 rout. Foley led the set with four kills, while Smith and junior middle blocker Thiago Zamprogno contributed at the net as the Trojans held Menlo to a negative hitting percentage.
USC’s defensive presence was particularly strong in the middle frame, where it recorded four blocks and limited the Oaks to just four kills.
“It makes me feel confident that our defense can go out and get a nice job for us,” said USC head coach Jeff Nygaard.
Menlo showed more resistance in the third set, staying within striking distance midway through, but USC closed strong. Keane and Connell each had four kills in the set as the Trojans pulled away late for the 25-20 victory to complete the sweep.
Freshman middle blocker Max Jarrett led the Oaks with 12 kills, accounting for more than half of Menlo’s total output. Former Trojan and graduate setter Joshua Friedman finished with 19 assists, while freshman outside hitter Alexandre Ferdani added three kills and four digs.
USC dominated every phase of the match, out-hitting Menlo while generating nearly twice as many kills and assists. The Trojans also controlled the net with seven blocks to the Oaks’ four and applied pressure from the service line with eight aces. Defensively, USC held Menlo to just a .039 hitting percentage, limiting the Oaks’ opportunities and forcing errors throughout the match.
“I like that we came out and had a real high standard for ourselves,” Nygaard said. “I like that I saw a number of guys get out there and there was no difference in performance or focus or the communication.”
The Trojans improved to 10-2 at home and recorded their ninth sweep of the season. USC also moved to 3-0 all-time against Menlo in the teams’ first meeting as MPSF opponents.
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at Galen Center.