No. 15 Cougars can't kick losing streak, fall 3-1 to No. 6 USC

PROVO, Utah — No. 15 BYU men’s volleyball dropped its eighth consecutive match after a 3-1 loss to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opponent No. 6 USC (23-25, 19-25, 25-18, 20-25) in the Galen Center on Friday.

The starting lineup featured head coach Shawn Olmstead’s 12th variation in 15 matches, as the Cougars rebuild after losing five starters from last season. Starters included senior outside hitter Davide Gardini, sophomore outside hitter Kupono Browne, sophomore setter Bartosz Slawinski, sophomore middle blocker Gavin Julien, senior libero Mitchel Worthington, freshman middle blocker Teon Taylor and freshman outside hitter Miks Ramanis. 

Friday's loss puts BYU’s overall season record at 5-10 and 0-3 in the MPSF. The Cougars racked up 48 kills and a .264 hitting percentage. Trailing by two kills, the Trojans racked up 46 kills but a higher clip of .327. Highlight stats for USC include 10 aces for the night and 10 blocks.

Gardini topped the leaderboard with 18 kills on the night and a .375 clip for BYU. Browne followed closely behind with 14 kills and a .333 clip.

SET ONE
The opponents started the match with a quick tie at 3-3, all of USC’s points coming from BYU errors. BYU’s tallies came from kills by Ramanis and freshman middle blocker Teon Taylor. After tying again at 4-4, the Trojans broke away with a 3-0 run to gain the largest margin of the set at 7-4.

From there, USC continued to hold a slight lead at 10-9, even after three combined kills from Browne and Gardini. With just a one point lead, the Trojans set off on another 3-0 run to widen the gap. Browne tallied BYU’s first ace of the night, followed by a kill from Ramanis, keeping BYU in the game. 

A USC kill at 16-12 started a killing streak of five straight, including additional tallies by Browne and Ramanis. At 21-16, the Trojans held their largest lead of the set. However, two USC errors and kills by Gardini and Ramanis put BYU behind by just two points at 22-20.

USC’s Simon Gallas laid down a kill to put USC at set-point at 24-21. An attack error by the Trojans and Browne’s fifth kill of the set diminished USC’s lead to 24-23. However, the Cougars’ seventh service error gave the Trojans their first set-win at 25-23.

SET TWO
The Trojans started with a 3-1 lead after a kill and two BYU errors. USC quickly lost its lead due to errors of its own. A kill by Browne tied the score at 3-3. USC’s Gallas slammed a kill to get ahead, but Brown tallied another. Julien and Slawinski blocked a potential USC kill, giving BYU its first lead of the set at 6-4.

A USC ace and a BYU attack error tied the teams again at 6-6. The teams tied another three times until 9-9. There, the Trojans managed a momentum-shifting 3-0 run, including two aces by USC’s Chris Hall. 

Gardini notched three kills in attempts to catch up, but USC tacked on another seven kills and two aces to reach set-point at 24-18. Ultimately, the Trojans pulled off a .296 clip, compared to BYU’s .115, taking their second set-win at 25-19.

SET THREE
Ramanis slammed a quick kill to start the set, but USC took the lead at 2-1 after a kill and BYU attack error. Gardini battled back with a kill, starting BYU off on a 6-1 run, tallying another two kills along the way. This run extended the Cougars’ lead to 7-3, their biggest of the night. 

A streak of four service errors commenced, both teams giving up two points. At 10-7, USC’s Gallas notched his 11th kill of the night. This didn’t stop BYU’s momentum as the Cougars managed a 4-0 run, including two aces by Ramanis and kills by Browne and Gardini, leading 14-7.

Five BYU errors and four USC kills allowed the Trojans to make a comeback, trailing the Cougars by just two points at 18-16. Browne aided BYU in maintaining its lead by laying down three quick kills. Ramanis followed with his third ace of the set. Gardini smashed his 13th kill to bring BYU to its first set-point of the night at 24-18. Another Gardini kill and BYU secured the set-win at 25-18.

SET FOUR
The Trojans started off with a 2-0 lead, but three consecutive errors allowed the Cougars to take the lead. A kill by the Trojans tied the score at 3-3. From there, the teams tied another six times until USC’s Sam Kobrine and Gallas laid kills to give USC the lead at 11-9.

These kills led to a 6-1 kill streak amongst the teams, including points by Browne, Gardini and Julien. An ace by Slawinski closed the gap to just 18-16.

A 6-2 run for USC, featuring three kills and two aces, brought the Trojans to match-point at 24-18. Gardini tacked on one last kill, before USC’s Lucas Frassrand smashed a final kill, sealing the Trojans their third set-win at 25-20.

Up next, the teams will face off once more in the Galen Center on Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m. PST.