This past Friday and Saturday, No. 9 USC (14-7, 12-6) was back at home to face No. 7 UCSB (13-8, 9-8 MPSF) and No. 12 UCLA (11-9, 7-9 MPSF). Earlier in the season, the Trojans lost to both the Gauchos and Bruins in away matches. This weekend, the Trojans shifted back to playing how they played in the start of the season. 

Both matches went to five sets; the match against UCLA was the ninth 5-set match for the Trojans in 2015, winning seven of such occurrences (most since 10 in 2009). The last three matches—all wins—have all gone to five sets.

“As we’ve been trying to find ourselves, it’s good that we keep getting in these battles,” Head Coach Bill Ferguson shared. “And really learning how to battle.”

Against UCSB, the Trojans battled back from a 2-set deficit: the second time they’ve done so this season (23-25, 24-26, 25-20, 25-20, 16-14). Senior opposite Cristian Rivera led the team with 20 kills. Behind Rivera, sophomore middle Andy Benesh had 16 kills and freshman outside hitter Larry Tuileta had 13 kills. USC’s offense, especially in the final two sets, outperformed the Gauchos’ and resembled the dominance USC saw early in the season. 

One of the biggest keys to USC’s offensive success is senior setter and captain Micah Christenson. Also the setter for the USA volleyball team, Christenson takes charge of the Trojans’ offense and can do whatever it takes to set the ball up for one of his teammates to spike down on the opposite side of the net. 

Junior libero and captain Brooks Varni shared a bit about what it’s like having Christenson on the team, especially in key matches like these past two.

“It’s about letting Micah do his thing, he’s the best in the world,” Varni commented. “We just have to get it in his general vicinity.”

From the start of the match, USC and UCSB went back-and-forth on the court: neither team could take a steady lead over the other: there were 15 ties scores and six lead changes. Towards the end of the match, UCSB pulled away and captured the win. Again the Trojans and the Gauchos battled it out and tied set two at 24 each, but once again the Gauchos snapped up the set. 

In the third set, the momentum shifted in the Trojans’ direction. In both sets three and four, USC held the lead for each set’s entirety. 

For the fifth set, UCSB came back and proved that they were not out of the match yet. At 12-10, it looked like the Gauchos could take the set, but USC came charging back and closed out the set with back-to-back kills by junior outside hitter Alex Slaught. 

The huge win over the Gauchos prepared USC for the toughness and intensity that UCLA would present. 

In another five set match, the Trojans and Bruins found it hard to grab a definitive lead over the other for a majority of the match (19-25, 25-22, 14-25, 25-22, 15-11). In total, there were 37 tie scores, the most during the third set (11). 

Tuileta and Benesh led the team with 13 kills against the Bruins. 

The best takeaway from the two home matches is that the Trojans have once again found their fight. Against both teams, USC once again displayed their aggressiveness and willingness to go out and do whatever it takes to win the match.

“We’re getting aggressive again,” Ferguson explained. “Now we’re starting to build up through a match.”

Even though USC hit .250 to UCLA’s .272, when it really counted, the Trojans were the ones that got the job done. Their success on the court is connected to the team’s heart. Ask Ferguson or any other the players and they’ll talk about how the team’s heart—one of their mantras for the season—keeps them motivated throughout their matches.

“You’ll hear the guys on the bench yelling heart when we make a hustle play or keep a ball in play,” Ferguson shared. 

Varni, who totaled 27 digs in the two matches, also shared about how much of a motivating factor the team’s heart is. Varni spoke about how the matches against UCSB and UCLA brought back the team’s energy and fire.

“We’re playing really hard and we’re having fun,” Varni explained. “That’s the most important thing that kind of gets lost in all this.”

Heading into April, the Trojans’ win over the Bruins clinched their berth into the 8-team MPSF tournament, which is taking place at the end of April. Right now, the Trojans are holding the fourth spot in the MPSF alone. If they remain in that spot, they’ll get to open up the tournament with a home match.

“We just want to be playing good volleyball going into April and great volleyball during April,” Ferguson stated. “We know that we’ve got to be good in April.”

Up next for the Trojans, they take on No. 3 Pepperdine (19-4, 14-4 MPSF) and No. 13 Stanford (9-13, 6-10 MPSF) in two away matches. The first week of the season was the last time the Trojans saw either team. Pepperdine is undefeated at home, so the Trojans will be looking to give the Waves their first loss in Malibu. 

“We really need to go and take our rest and get back to work,” Varni commented. “[Pepperdine is] a great team and we need the win against them.”

The Trojans face the Waves on April 2nd at 7pm and the Cardinal on April 4th at 7:30pm. 

Contact Staff Reporter Jodee Sullivan here. Follow her on Twitter here.