Buckeyes Earn Season Sweep of Trojans with 3-1 Win

Friday, March 8

Los Angeles, CA

10 p.m.

Ohio State

15-4,8-2MIVA

University of Southern California

11-9,2-4MPSF

Ohio St.

Southern California

Buckeyes Earn Season Sweep of Trojans with 3-1 Win

3/9/2024 12:13:00 AM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- No. 8 Ohio State (15-4) opened the 2024 Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge with a 3-1 win at No. 12 USC (11-9) Friday at Galen Pavilion. The Buckeyes own a pair of wins over the Trojans this season.

The teams met earlier this year in Austin, Texas, with Ohio State earning a 3-2 win.

On Friday, Ohio State won by scores of 22-25, 25-11, 25-23, 25-20.

Three Buckeyes posted double-digit kills led by Jacob Pasteur (15), Shane Wetzel (11) and Kyle Teune (11).

Michael Wright dished out 35 assists while Justin Howard added eight blocks and Thomas Poole contributed a team-best seven digs to pace the defense in the win.

Set 1
Both teams started well after the Buckeyes scored first on a Michael Wright kill. Neither squad managed to score consecutive points until Ohio State took a 5-4 lead on a Trojans service error and Shane Wetzel solo block. USC used a 4-1 run to take an 11-9 lead. The advantage increased to 15-11 Trojans at the media timeout. USC kept it going after the break before Ohio State used a 3-1 run to draw to within three at 21-18 Trojans. USC called timeout and regained control after an ace made it 23-18 Trojans. Ohio State called a timeout and cut it to 24-22 USC before the Trojans got the 25-22 victory in the opener.

S1| Buckeyes lead 8-7! pic.twitter.com/lBEzYe1Zy0
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

Set 2
Ohio State used a 7-1 early run to take an 8-4 lead. The Trojans called timeout but the Buckeyes used a 4-1 run for a 12-5 advantage. USC called its final timeout with the Buckeyes hitting .500 while taking the seven-point lead. Kills by Justin Howard and Wright made it 15-6 Buckeyes. A Shane Wetzel ace after a Kyle Teune kill put the Buckeyes up 17-7. A Jacob Pasteur kill followed by a pair of Trojans errors moved the lead to 21-10. The Buckeyes finished off the set (25-11) with a 7-1 run to even the match at 1-all. Ohio State hit .480 in the second with Wetzel owning the match lead with seven kills.

S2| Cole Young??Buckeyes lead 18-8?? pic.twitter.com/pjz3w5Spvn
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

Set 3
USC moved out to a 5-3 lead but the Buckeyes responded to tie it at 5-all after a Trojans service error and a Wetzel kill. USC regained the lead after a 3-1 run for a 10-7 advantage. The Trojans held a 15-11 lead at the media timeout and increased the lead to 17-12 after the break. USC then had to call a timeout after the Buckeyes used a 3-0 run to cut it to 17-15 Trojans. Wetzel had a kill and an ace around a Wright kill to force the stoppage. Wright cut it to a one-point deficit for the Buckeyes with a kill before kills by Teune and Pasteur tied it at 18-all. The Buckeyes took a 20-19 lead after a Pasteur kill and Young ace. The Trojans regained the lead at 21-20 on back-to-back kills. The Buckeyes called timeout and then took the lead at 22-21 on a block (Howard/Pasteur) and USC error. The Trojans called timeout and tied it at 22-all after an Ohio State service error. Pasteur put Ohio State back on top with a kill before a Trojans service error led to set point for the Buckeyes at 24-23. The Buckeyes then claimed the set, 25-23, on a USC attack error for the 2-1 match lead. Ohio State hit .684 in the set with 13 kills and no errors on 19 attacks. Wetzel and Pasteur each had 10 kills after three sets for the team lead.

S3| Buckeyes win set 3, 25-23! pic.twitter.com/zQoPNThejg
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

S3| Setters can hit too you know!?? Wright on the kill, Buckeyes down one, 17-16. pic.twitter.com/lNsJQc0Vn2
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

Set 4
Ohio State used another early run (6-1) to jump out to a 7-3 lead. The Trojans called timeout but Ohio State kept its lead at four points after a Pasteur kill made it 9-5. Teune notched his 10^th kill of the match for a 12-9 Ohio State lead. Wetzel capped a 3-1 Ohio State run with a kill for a 15-11 lead. USC called its final timeout of the set after Howard kill and big triple block by the Buckeyes made it 17-12. The Trojans came out of the break and went on a 3-0 run to cut it to 17-15 Buckeyes. Ohio State called timeout and responded with its own 3-0 run for a 20-15 lead. The Trojans came right back with a 4-1 run to make it 22-20 Buckeyes. Ohio called its final timeout of the set and scored twice to set up match point. The Buckeyes then got the win after a USC attack error and block by Pasteur gave the set to the Buckeyes, 25-20.

S4| Cole Young ends the match with an ace, 25-20! Buckeye W?? pic.twitter.com/CcxXWLK8tE
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

S4| Buckeye Block?? extending the lead to 17-12!?? pic.twitter.com/zxY0G3LzDm
— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) March 9, 2024

Up Next:
The Buckeyes remain in Los Angeles to take on No. 4 UCLA Sunday (8 p.m.) in the final match of the 2024 Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge. The Pac-12 Network will broadcast the match.

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