No. 5 USC Men’s Volleyball Opens MPSF Conference Play with Two Matches Against No. 7 Pepperdine

THIS WEEK
The USC men's volleyball team (10-2) returns from a bye week to open up MPSF play with two matches against No. 7 Pepperdine (6-4). The Trojans travel to Malibu, Calif. on Wednesday (Feb. 23) to play at 7 p.m. PT, and then will challenge the Waves at home at the Galen Center on Friday (Feb. 25) at 7 p.m. PT. 

The Waves, who are 1-1 in MPSF conference play, most recently split matches with Grand Canyon in Phoenix last weekend. 

Wednesday's away match will be available via live stream, and Friday's match at the Galen Center will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network with Anne Marie Anderson on the call (all links found on the men's volleyball schedule page at USCTrojans.com).
 

FOLLOW THE TROJANS
All of USC's home matches in the Galen Center are video-streamed live for free on USCTrojans.com, except for matches televised live on Pac-12 Network.  USC's online announcers are ex-Trojan player and assistant coach Mark Beltran and onetime Northeastern player/Winthrop assistant coach Paul Duchesne.  Fans also can follow USC home matches through Live Stats at USCTrojans.com and all matches via Twitter (@USCmensvolley).

Live streaming and stat links for away matches can be found at USCTrojans.com.

RANKINGS
USC is ranked 5th in the current AVCA Division I-II Top 15 poll, and Pepperdine is No. 7.
 

STATS OF NOTE
As a team, USC is in the Top 10 nationally in four statistical categories: first in digs (9.82 per set, and 1st in MPSF), third in assists (12.20 per set, and second in MPSF), fourth in kills (12.80 per set, third in MPSF) and sixth in hitting percentage (.337, second in MPSF).
 

OPPONENTS
The Trojans hold a 43-71 record in their series with Pepperdine dating back to 1971. USC is 3-7 in its last 10 matches against the Waves.

LAST MATCHES
See page 10 for recaps of USC's most recent matches: a 3-0 sweep on Feb. 9 versus No. 8 UC Santa Barbara, and a 3-0 victory against Cal State Northridge on Feb. 10.