No. 10 USC Men's Volleyball Defeated by No. 2 Grand Canyon

Saturday, February 24

Phoenix, Ariz.

3:00 PM

USC

10-6,2-2MPSF

Grand Canyon

13-0,4-0MPSF

Southern California

Grand Canyon

No. 10 USC Men's Volleyball Defeated by No. 2 Grand Canyon

February 24, 2024 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Highlights

Trojans outside hitter Dillon Klain led the offense with 12 kills

LOS ANGELES – The 10th-ranked USC men's volleyball team (10-6, 2-2 MPSF) fell to No. 2 Grand Canyon (13-0, 4-0) in three sets (18-25, 21-25, 28-30) at Antelope Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 24.

KEY PLAYERS

So. OH Dillon Klein reached double-digit kills for the 33rd time in his career and finished with 13.5 points on 12 kills (3e, 34att) with .353 hitting and added two digs and three blocks.
Redshirt Jr. OPP Jack Deuchar recorded seven kills (2e, 22att, hitting .227) and reached 7.5 points. He also recorded a career-high in digs with 10.
Fr. S Caleb Blanchette had 26 assists, the Trojans' only ace, three digs, and two blocks.
Fr. MB Wesley Smith recorded seven kills (1e, 10att) and hit .600. He also had three digs and six blocks (two solo).
The Antelopes had three players with double-digit kills including Karter Rogers (10), Jackson Hickman (12), and Camden Gianni (12).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Both teams went back and forth to start out the first set before GCU went on a 3-0 run (13-11). A block from Riley Haine and Smith ended the run, and USC stayed within three until another Antelope 3-0 run (20-14). USC was unable to overcome the Antelopes and GCU led for the remainder of a set it won, 25-18.
The Antelopes went on a 3-0 run at the beginning of the second, but Deuchar helped tie the score, six-all. The Trojans then went on a 3-0 run to take the lead, and kills from Haine and Klein extended the lead to two, 11-9. USC went on another 3-0 run but was abruptly stopped by a GCU 5-0 run that took the Antelopes up, 18-15. Despite a Klein kill, GCU went on a third and final 3-0 run and took the second set, 25-21.
USC went on a 6-2 run to open the third set with kills from Klein and Deuchar and blocks from Kyle Paulson, Klein, and Smith. GCU answered with its own 6-1 run, interrupted by a Klein kill (9-8). The two teams went back-and-forth again before USC took a timeout down 19-18. Out of the timeout, Smith and Klein recorded kills to give USC a slim lead (23-22). USC was able to tie the score again after a GCU ace, but the Antelopes trotted through to take the third, 30-28.

UP NEXT

The Trojans return to Los Angeles for a home-and-home with UCLA (11-4) on Thursday and Saturday (Feb. 29, March 2). USC-UCLA will be broadcast on Pac-12 Insider on Thursday and streamed on UCLA's livestream platform on Saturday.

MATCH NOTES

USC fell to 6-12 all-time against Grand Canyon and has lost four straight matches to the Lopes.
This is USC's 10th match with double-digit blocks and 13th contest that it has had the same or more blocks than its opponent.

For more information on the USC men's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/MVB. Fans of the Trojans can follow @USCmensvolley on Twitter and Instagram.