Friday, October 13
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM
USC
14-4, 6-1Pac-12
3
vs
1
California
11-7, 2-5Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
California
21
29
15
23
1
USC
25
27
25
25
3
Team Stats
CAL
USC
Kills
52
65
Errors
19
19
Attempts
145
163
Hitting %
.228
.282
Points
65.0
75.0
Assists
49
58
Aces
5
4
Blocks
8.0
6.0
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
15
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
13
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
OPP
/ Women's Volleyball
DS
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballOPP
/ Women's VolleyballPhoto by: Percy Anderson
No. 19 Trojans Top Golden Bears in Four
October 13, 2017 | Women's Volleyball, Features
The Women of Troy had four players in double-digit kills to beat California at Galen Center
LOS ANGELES – The 19th-ranked USC women's volleyball team (14-4, 6-1 Pac-12) defeated California (11-7, 2-5) in four sets (25-21, 27-29, 25-15, 25-23) at Galen Center on Friday, Oct. 13. Four Trojans scored double-digit kills led by senior opposite hitter Brittany Abercrombie who had 16 (4e, 39att) with a .308 hitting percentage.
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Sophomore outside hitter Khalia Lanier tallied 15 kills (2e, 49att, .265) and had nine digs and two service aces. Senior opposite hitter Niki Withers finished with 13 kills (2e) on just 24 swings for a .458 hitting percentage. She also had four blocks (one solo) for 15.5 points. Junior outside hitter Alyse Ford added 12 kills (2e, 20att) on a .500 hitting night and had five digs.
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As a team, the Women of Troy hit .282 (65k, 19e, 163) on the setting of senior Reni Meyer-Whalley and sophomore Cindy Marina. Meyer-Whalley dished out 27 assists and had nine digs while Marina totaled 25 assists and had four digs. Each setter also had a service ace in the match. Defensively, junior libero Victoria Garrick led all players with 22 digs and added five assists. Sophomore defender Jenna Adams picked up a career-best nine digs. Off the bench, senior middle blocker Danielle Geiger added four kills (1e, .333) on nine swings to go with three blocks.
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For the Bears, Carmen Annevelink led the way with 14 kills (3e, 30att, .367). Antzela Dempi earned 12 kills (6e, 31att, .194) but finished with match-high honors on 18.0 points thanks to five service aces and two blocks. Mima Mirkovic had 11 kills (2e, 24att, .265) to go with 14 digs. Mirkovic had nine of her 11 kills in the second set to help the Bears pull off a 29-27 win. Defensively, Emma Smith dug up 21 balls but also committed three reception errors.
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Neither team had a particularly strong first set, but USC got four kills from Abercrombie and three from Withers to emerge from the opening frame with a 25-21 win. The Trojans broke the eighth and final tie of the set with three straight points including back-to-back kills from Withers. Cal led the second set by as many as six points several times but USC fought back to take a 21-20 lead on three straight kills. The Women of Troy had set point four times, but the Bears saved each one and got four kills from Mirkovic to hold on and win, 29-27, and even the match at one set apiece.
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The Trojans earned sideout at an 80-percent rate in the third set and had 15 kills (3e) on 33 swings for a .364 hitting percentage. Lanier and Ford each scored four kills and powered USC to a 25-15 win for a 2-1 lead in the match. USC led the entire fourth set en route to a 25-23 win, but was threatened several times. After holding a seven-point lead at 13-6, the Trojans had all but a single point trimmed from their advantage as a 6-0 Cal run pulled the Bears within a point at 13-12. USC settled down and pulled ahead by four points at 20-16, but the Bears kept on coming. Abercrombie's 16th kill gave the Trojans match point before Withers knocked a shot off the Cal block to seal the 25-23 win and end the match.
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Up next, the Women of Troy face No. 3 Stanford (14-2, 7-0 Pac-12) in a Sunday-afternoon matinee (Oct. 15) at 3 p.m. PT in a match that will be shown live on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Los Angeles, and Pac-12 Bay Area. The match is also Super Hero Day at Galen Center. The first 250 kids (under the age of 12) will receive a special Super Cape. Visit USCTrojans.com/tickets to purchase today.
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For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Periscope, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.
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MATCH NOTES
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Sophomore outside hitter Khalia Lanier tallied 15 kills (2e, 49att, .265) and had nine digs and two service aces. Senior opposite hitter Niki Withers finished with 13 kills (2e) on just 24 swings for a .458 hitting percentage. She also had four blocks (one solo) for 15.5 points. Junior outside hitter Alyse Ford added 12 kills (2e, 20att) on a .500 hitting night and had five digs.
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As a team, the Women of Troy hit .282 (65k, 19e, 163) on the setting of senior Reni Meyer-Whalley and sophomore Cindy Marina. Meyer-Whalley dished out 27 assists and had nine digs while Marina totaled 25 assists and had four digs. Each setter also had a service ace in the match. Defensively, junior libero Victoria Garrick led all players with 22 digs and added five assists. Sophomore defender Jenna Adams picked up a career-best nine digs. Off the bench, senior middle blocker Danielle Geiger added four kills (1e, .333) on nine swings to go with three blocks.
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For the Bears, Carmen Annevelink led the way with 14 kills (3e, 30att, .367). Antzela Dempi earned 12 kills (6e, 31att, .194) but finished with match-high honors on 18.0 points thanks to five service aces and two blocks. Mima Mirkovic had 11 kills (2e, 24att, .265) to go with 14 digs. Mirkovic had nine of her 11 kills in the second set to help the Bears pull off a 29-27 win. Defensively, Emma Smith dug up 21 balls but also committed three reception errors.
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Neither team had a particularly strong first set, but USC got four kills from Abercrombie and three from Withers to emerge from the opening frame with a 25-21 win. The Trojans broke the eighth and final tie of the set with three straight points including back-to-back kills from Withers. Cal led the second set by as many as six points several times but USC fought back to take a 21-20 lead on three straight kills. The Women of Troy had set point four times, but the Bears saved each one and got four kills from Mirkovic to hold on and win, 29-27, and even the match at one set apiece.
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The Trojans earned sideout at an 80-percent rate in the third set and had 15 kills (3e) on 33 swings for a .364 hitting percentage. Lanier and Ford each scored four kills and powered USC to a 25-15 win for a 2-1 lead in the match. USC led the entire fourth set en route to a 25-23 win, but was threatened several times. After holding a seven-point lead at 13-6, the Trojans had all but a single point trimmed from their advantage as a 6-0 Cal run pulled the Bears within a point at 13-12. USC settled down and pulled ahead by four points at 20-16, but the Bears kept on coming. Abercrombie's 16th kill gave the Trojans match point before Withers knocked a shot off the Cal block to seal the 25-23 win and end the match.
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Up next, the Women of Troy face No. 3 Stanford (14-2, 7-0 Pac-12) in a Sunday-afternoon matinee (Oct. 15) at 3 p.m. PT in a match that will be shown live on Pac-12 Network, Pac-12 Los Angeles, and Pac-12 Bay Area. The match is also Super Hero Day at Galen Center. The first 250 kids (under the age of 12) will receive a special Super Cape. Visit USCTrojans.com/tickets to purchase today.
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For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Periscope, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.
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MATCH NOTES
- USC improved to 57-12 all-time against California and extended to a four-match winning streak over the Golden Bears.
- The Women of Troy improved to 6-0 at the Galen Center this season and to 145-30 all-time in the building.
- USC moved to 8-2 in four-set matches this season.
- Sophomore DS Jenna Adams put up a career-high nine digs in the win.
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