USC beats UCLA on its home court in volleyball

On the eve of the first day of classes at UCLA, fans packed Pauley Pavilion for the matchup between the No. 13 Bruins and No. 3 USC in women’s volleyball, but the home-court crowd saw its crosstown rival get the decisive win.

The Trojans jumped out to an 8-2 start in the first set and never looked back, taking all three sets by a final score of 25-22, 25-12, 25-19. They improved to 13-0. The Bruins are 9-2.

“Gosh, great crowd tonight,” USC Coach Mick Haley said. “That was one of the most fun atmospheres that we had a chance to play in. I thought we played pretty well. I was very pleased with our blocking and defense.”

Freshman Alyse Ford had perhaps the best game of her career, with 11 kills and 11 points.

USC’s focal point, as per usual, was senior Samantha Bricio.

“I think Alyse would tell you that [Bricio] has been very good for her, because she’s kind of taken her under wing and taught her the ropes a little bit and brought her along,” Haley said. “Young players always appreciate that when they get help from the older players.”

Bricio was in the same position as Ford four years ago, as a 17-year-old freshman from Guadalajara. Unlike most star high school athletes, there was no multiyear courting process for her. She took a tour of USC four months before making her decision, and quickly blossomed into USC’s most consistent player. She remembers beating the Bruins in her first match against them at the Galen Center, but said her inaugural trip to UCLA was a totally different experience.

“When we came here and we knew more about [the rivalry], I got super anxious and nervous and didn’t have as good of a game,” Bricio said.

With that moment in mind, Bricio tried to comfort her freshmen teammates, whom USC has counted on all season to get off to an undefeated start.

“Some of the new people were anxious in the locker room,” Bricio said. “I was like, ‘Guys, just calm down. It’s just another game. It’s going to be a big crowd, but just do what you know how to do.’”

Wednesday night wasn’t Bricio’s best performance by her own standards, but her 10 kills were second only to Ford, and her 14 points were more than anyone on either team.

alex.shultz@latimes.com