University Southern California Trojans
USC
<b>*Pacific</b>
USC Men's Volleyball Defeats Pacific
February 27, 2004 | Men's Volleyball
Feb. 27, 2004
LOS ANGELES - Chris McKniff and Pedro Leal each had 14 kills to lead the unranked USC men's volleyball team to a 30-26, 30-21, 30-22 victory over No. 15 Pacific in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match on Friday (Feb. 27) in USC's Lyon Center.
USC improved to 4-12 overall and 3-7 in the MPSF, while Pacific dropped to 4-13 and 2-10.
McKniff, who hit .520, had a match-high 4 blocks. Leal hit a team-best .571. Joao Grangeiro added 14 kills (while hitting .400) and 3 aces for the Trojans, while Blake Tippett had 7 kills and 6 digs and Jeff Bailey had 7 kills (hitting .500).
Troy hit a season-best .408 to Pacific's .264. USC also served 7 aces.
For the Tigers, Sean Rodgers hit .769 with 11 kills, while Brian Zodrow had 7 kills, 6 digs and 2 aces.
The momentum in the match switched USC's way midway through the first game. Down 17-11, USC ran off 8 straight points to get a 19-17 lead that it never surrendered. Troy started the second game with 4-0 and then 7-1 leads; although the Tigers pulled to within 17-14, USC tallied the next 5 points and wasn't threatened again. It was more of the same in the third game as USC scored 4 consecutive early points to build a 7-3 lead which Pacific couldn't overcome.
USC next hosts No. 13 Lewis, the defending NCAA champion, in a non-conference match this Monday (March 1) at 7 p.m. in the North Gym.
