USC Proves Too Much for CSUN in Volleyball

USC Coach Bob Yoder was not quite sure what to expect from the Cal State Northridge volleyball team. Three seasons ago, the Matadors finished near the bottom of the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn. but extended the Trojans to five games. Earlier this season the Matadors fell in three easy games to the Trojans.

But Wednesday night the Matadors exhibited form from both games, losing to USC, 15-11, 15-6, 6-15, 15-8, at CSUN.

“I knew they could play a lot better than they did the first time,” Yoder said. “But I think they surprised us. We were playing like we were afraid to lose, instead of playing to win.”

USC (15-1, 7-0) is ranked No. 1 in the latest Tachikara coaches’ national poll. CSUN (5-9, 1-4) is ranked 12th.

“If you take it in perspective that we played the best team in the nation, I think we’re right in there,” Northridge Coach John Price said. “We’re just not as consistent.”

The Trojans led by no more than four points in the first game but opened a 10-1 lead in the second. USC deflected the majority of CSUN’s spike attempts, paving the way for easy Trojan points. CSUN scored four consecutive points near the game’s end but lost, 15-6, when Tom Ribarich and Jeff Campbell miscommunicated and the ball fell to the ground untouched.

“We had some bad passes,” CSUN middle blocker Jeff Campbell said.

The Matadors were a much different team in the third game, dominating from the outset behind the hitting and blocking of Campbell and outside hitter Bob Samuelson.

The 6-7 Campbell had 5 of his game-high 18 kills in the third game. Samuelson, 6-5, added 7 of his 16 kills.

Both were nearly unstoppable. They combined for two stuff blocks to give CSUN a 12-6 lead before the Matadors scored three points on a Jeff Krieger kill and two Trojan errors to win, 15-6.

The final game looked much like the second, however. CSUN’s passing and blocking faltered, and the Trojans took a large lead early and wrapped up the victory on two CSUN hitting errors.

“When we block we win,” Price said. “But our defense is not good enough to do it without a block.”

CSUN had trouble throughout the game controlling two-time All-American Tom Duke and outside hitter Jen-Kai Liu.

Duke, a 6-6 hitter, and Liu each finished with a match-high 21 kills.