Feb. 13, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific men's volleyball team fell to the No. 5 USC Trojans on Friday, Feb. 13, by a score of 3-0. With the loss the Tigers fell to 2-12 on the season and 0-9 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). The Trojans improved to 8-2 overall, and 5-1 MPSF.
The set scores for the match were: 30-25, 30-25 and 30-24.
The Tigers held close to the Trojans throughout much of the first set. The score tied seven times. At 4-4, USC gained a lead which would hold up until the Tigers scored three straight points at 14-11, tying the score at 14-14. Pacific scored on a service error by USC, a kill from junior Jason Borchin (Roseville, Calif.), and a block assist by freshman Sean Daley (Moorpark, Calif.) and junior Mark Bauhs (Danville, Calif.). The score would tie again at 15-15 and the last tie score at 16-16. At this point, USC went on a six point run to bring the score to 22-16. The Tigers could not find their groove for the remainder of the set, and lost by a score of 30-25.
During the second set, the Tigers outhit the Trojans .364 (16 kills on 33 attempts and 4 errors) to .265 (16 kills on 34 attempts with 7 errors). The two teams battled through 10 ties. After going back and forth through the beginning of the set, the Trojans gained a 10-7 lead on Pacific. But Pacific tied the score at 10-10, with an ace and a kill by Borchin followed by a USC error. With the score tied at 16-16, the Tigers took the lead, 17-16 on an attack error by the Trojans. Moments later, the took an 18-17 lead with a kill from Daley. The game would tie again at 18-18 and 20-20. At 20-20, the Trojans notched three straight points to nab a 23-20 edge and went on to claim the set by a score of 30-25.
In the third set, Pacific and USC, again, fought through 10 ties. The Tigers started off with a 3-1 lead, with a USC service error, kill from freshman Nicolaas Schenk (Kamuela, Hawaii) and one from Borchin. They kept the lead until USC was able to creep up and tie the score at 8-8. At 8-8 the score went back and forth, until the final tie of the set at 17-17. USC started to pull away, and at 23-22, scoring three consecutive points to make the score 26-22. The Tigers would not have enough time to catch back up and a kill from senior Jeff Hendershot (Claremont, Calif.) would be the final point for Pacific, who would lose the third set by a score of 30-24.
Hendershot had 12 kills and four digs for the Tigers, while Daley recorded 10 kills.
Murphy Troy and Sean Dennis both had 13 kills for USC.
The Tigers will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m as Pacific travels to Northridge, Calif. to take on the Cal State Northridge Matadors.
