Wednesday, January 24
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 P.M.
California State University at Northridge
4-3,0-0Big West
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USC
5-2,0-0MPSF
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CSUN
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Southern California
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Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
No. 18 CSUN Upsets 11th-Ranked USC in Five Sets
1/24/2024 9:23:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Behind a combined 37 kills from Kyle Hobus and Jalen Phillips, the 18th-ranked CSUN men's volleyball team upset No. 11 USC in five sets in a non-conference match Wednesday night at Galen Center.
With the 21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-10 win, the Matadors pick up their first victory this season over a ranked team while improving to 4-3 overall. CSUN also earns its first true road win of the season while handing the Trojans their first home loss of the season.
Hobus had his best match of the young season, pounding a match-high 23 kills on 43 swings to hit .395. The senior also had five digs, three blocks, and one ace. Phillips, the reigning Big West Freshman of the Week, added 14 kills (.379), two aces, two digs, and a pair of blocks. Senior Griffin Walters chipped in eight kills (.182), three aces, and three digs.
NOTES
ACCORDING TO COACHÂ THEO EDWARDS
"Tonight was a great win, a great team win. We hit .345 as a team against a fantastic USC team. I thought they played really well and challenged us in a lot of different areas but we were finally able to get over the top. Kyle (Hobus) hit .395 and only missed two serves, he was really effective from behind the service line. We had a moment there where we took our foot off the gas a bit in set four and let them back into it, but we came out in set five and took it to them. It was a great win and we're super excited to win here in the Galen."
With the 21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-10 win, the Matadors pick up their first victory this season over a ranked team while improving to 4-3 overall. CSUN also earns its first true road win of the season while handing the Trojans their first home loss of the season.
Hobus had his best match of the young season, pounding a match-high 23 kills on 43 swings to hit .395. The senior also had five digs, three blocks, and one ace. Phillips, the reigning Big West Freshman of the Week, added 14 kills (.379), two aces, two digs, and a pair of blocks. Senior Griffin Walters chipped in eight kills (.182), three aces, and three digs.
CSUN overcame a slow start to hit .345 (56-17-113) as a team to .272 (48-20-103) for the host Trojans. The Matadors also posted slight edges in aces (9-7) and blocks (9.0-7.5) while USC had 33 team digs to CSUN's 26.Â
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
- The host Trojans got off to a good start, out-hitting the Matadors .350 to 087 in taking the opening set, 25-21. Trailing 24-20, a USC service error saved one set point before the Matadors returned the favor sending the Trojans to the 25-21 win.
- CSUN rebounded to hit .407 in set two, while limiting USC to a .290 clip. A Trojan ace gave the hosts USC a 15-14 lead heading into the media timeout. Down 24-22, Phillips' eighth and ninth kills of the night tied the score and Hobus' 10th kill and a USC hitting error gave CSUN a comeback 27-25 win in the second.
- CSUN would continue its hot hitting into the third set, connecting at a .417 clip. Leading 19-18, the Matadors would close the third set on a 6-2 run to take a 25-20 decision.
Set three belongs to the team wearing black, 25-20.
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) January 25, 2024
CSUN leads 2-1 overall.
?? | @Pac12Network
?? | https://t.co/3n5ivjnmlP#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/WyU0tSpxIt
- The Trojans would then out-hit CSUNÂ .467 to .296 in set four to force a fifth set following a 25-17 win. Leading 10-8, USC would outscore the Matadors 6-2 over the next eight points to lead by as many as six.
- The Matadors raced out to leads of 4-1 and 7-3 lead in the fifth and deciding set and never looked back. A USC kill pulled the Trojans within two at 7-5 but the hosts would get no closer as the Matadors claimed eight of the final 13 points to seal the 15-10 win.
CSUN WINS!
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) January 25, 2024
21-25, 27-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-10 to take down #11 USC on the road.#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/OK3itH1tF8
NOTES
- Junior setter Donovan Constable handed out 43 assists to go with five digs, four blocks, and three kills.
- Sophomore middle blocker Malcolm King had a team-high six blocks, along with three kills, and one ace.
- With the win, CSUN snaps a four-match skid to the Trojans, improving to 49-34Â all-time.
ACCORDING TO COACHÂ THEO EDWARDS
"Tonight was a great win, a great team win. We hit .345 as a team against a fantastic USC team. I thought they played really well and challenged us in a lot of different areas but we were finally able to get over the top. Kyle (Hobus) hit .395 and only missed two serves, he was really effective from behind the service line. We had a moment there where we took our foot off the gas a bit in set four and let them back into it, but we came out in set five and took it to them. It was a great win and we're super excited to win here in the Galen."
Hear from head coach Theo Edwards following No. 18 #CSUN's 3-2 upset win at No. 11 USC on Wednesday#GoMatadors pic.twitter.com/ZmbCNTTKhO
— CSUN Men's Volleyball (@CSUNMensVB) January 25, 2024
UP NEXT
CSUN returns home this Saturday (Jan. 27) to host Central State in a non-conference match at 6 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Team Stats
CSUN
USC
Kills
56
48
Errors
17
20
Attempts
113
103
Hitting %
.345
.272
Points
74.0
62.5
Assists
55
46
Aces
9
7
Blocks
9
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
23
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
14
Aces
2
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
3
Blocks
1
Kills
4
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
S
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's VolleyballOPP
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballCalHOPE Award Nathan Merren
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