ISU Volleyball Travels to Los Angeles for USC Classic

Game Notes | Live Video | Live Stats at USC | Live Stats vs. Utah State | Live Stats vs. New Mexico

POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State volleyball team travel to Los Angeles, Calif. to participate in the USC Classic, hosted by the University of Southern California at the Galen Center. The Bengals will face their third nationally-ranked opponent in No. 6 USC Friday morning at 11 a.m. MDT, followed by Mountain West foes Utah State (Sept. 11 at 6 p.m.) and New Mexico (Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.).
 
SCOUTING USC
This will be the third meeting between ISU and USC. USC leads the series 2-0 and won the last meeting on Sept. 11, 2009 3-0.
 
The Trojans return 11 letter winners and four starters from last year's squad that finished with a 16-16 overall record, including an 8-12 mark in conference play, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Senior outside hitter Samantha Bricio returns after receiving AVCA second team all-American honors in addition to being named to the all-region South Pacific team with fellow Trojan, junior libero Taylor Whittingham.
 
This season, USC carries a perfect 6-0 record with notable wins over No. 7 North Carolina and No. 9 BYU. The Trojans average 14.7 kills per set with a .310 hitting percentage and 13.7 assists per set. USC averages 17.2 digs per set and have 48.0 total blocks on the season for a 2.5 blocks per set average.
 
Head Coach Mick Haley enters his 14th year at the helm of the USC program and carries a 349-76 overall record with the Trojans.
 
SCOUTING UTAH STATE
This will be the 53rd meeting between Idaho State and Utah State. The Aggies won the last meeting in Logan 3-1 on Aug. 29, 2014.
 
The Aggies return eight letter winners and two starters, plus a libero, from last year's squad that finished tied for sixth in the Mountain West Conference with a 9-9 record in conference and 13-16 overall record.
 
Currently, Utah State is 2-5 on the season is averaging 11.4 kills per set with a .155 hitting percentage in addition to 10.8 assists per set. The Aggies average 14.7 digs per set and have 47.5 total blocks on the season for a 1.9 blocks per set average.
 
Utah State is coached by Grayson DuBose who carries a 148-130 overall record with the Aggies.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO
This will be the 11th meeting between the Bengals and the Lobos. UNM won the last meeting between the two squads 3-0 on Sept. 6, 2013 in Albuquerque.
 
New Mexico returns 11 letter winners and five starters, plus a libero, from last year's squad that finished fourth in the Mountain West Conference with an 11-7 mark in conference and a 19-12 overall record. Notable returners for the Lobos include junior libero Julia Warren who earned first-team all-conference honors, in addition to senior setter Hannah Johnson and junior middle blocker Cassie House who received honorable mention nods.
 
The Lobos are 4-2 overall this season, including a 2-1 mark at home. UNM is averaging 13.3 kills per set with a .251 hitting percentage in addition to 12.3 assists per set. The Lobos average 14.1 digs per set and have recorded 49.0 total blocks for a 2.1 blocks per set average.
 
UNM is coached by Head Coach Jeff Nelson who is in his ninth season with the Lobos. Nelson carries a 159-89 record at New Mexico and a 401-236 record overall.
 
LAST MATCH: ISU NEARLY UPSETS NO. 9 BYU IN FIVE-SET LOSS
Idaho State nearly pulled off the biggest upset in recent program history, dropping a gut-wrenching 3-2 decision No. 9 BYU at Smith Fieldhouse in Provo, Utah Wednesday evening. BYU prevailed in five sets, 25-7, 20-25, 21-25, 25-14 and 15-12 to escape with a victory in front of a rowdy crowd of more than 1500.
 
Though the Bengals' stepped up their play in the latter sets, the first set was a quick 25-7 route in favor of the Cougars.
 
The Bengals responded in the second set and shot out to a 12-5 advantage following a block from outside hitters Marissa Todd and Tressa Lyman and subsequent hitting error from BYU's Whitney Howard. The Cougars were able to later cut ISU's lead to two, 16-14, but the Bengals controlled their lead and finished out on a 9-6 run for the commanding second-set win, 25-20.
 
Following the break ISU started the third set with a strong kill from Hirst. Filer followed up with two straight kills of her own to start ISU off with a 3-0 run. BYU would tie the set twice, at 6-6 and 7-7, but the Cougars were never able to overtake ISU. The Bengals extended their lead to four, 15-11 following a kill from Lyman and held on to win the third set, 25-21.
 
ISU started the fourth set with a monstrous kill, this time from junior outside hitter Bailey Bars. But the next two points went to the Cougars off an ISU service error and attacking error for their first lead since the first set. The Cougars were steadfast in the fourth and countered every ISU attack. The Bengals fell behind 15-8 midway through the fourth following a kill from BYU's Danelle Parady and were unable to overcome the deficit. BYU finished on a 10-6 run to win the fourth, 25-14.
 
In the fifth set the Cougars shot out to a 9-2 lead following four straight BYU kills and an ISU attacking error.  BYU extended their lead to 11-4 until ISU stepped on the gas and capped a 7-2 run with a kill by Hirst to cut BYU's lead to 2, 13-11. ISU's final surge fell short, and he Cougars outlasted the Bengals to win the set 15-12 and take the match.