USC Frustrated, Extended Before Beating San Diego

USC defeated the University of San Diego, 7-15, 15-17, 15-12, 15-5, 16-14 Saturday at the Lyon Center to advance to the NCAA Pacific Region semifinal.

“It was a brawl,” said USC Coach Lisa Love. “San Diego frustrated us early with excellent digging and ball control. It took us a while to play the game we can play.

“We survived. I appreciate [the Pacific 10] conference because you develop those survival skills against those teams.”

USC junior outside hitter Jennifer Kessy had 38 kills to break Tracy Clark’s school record of 36 in 1985. Trojan setter Janice Mounts had 83 assists.

Sara Gunsaulus had 27 kills and LaManda Mounts and Patia Yanchulova each had 26 kills for San Diego (26-4).

USC (23-5) will play Nebraska in the Pacific Region semifinal either next Friday or Saturday at the Pyramid at Long Beach State. Nebraska beat Michigan State, 15-7, 15-12, 15-4, to advance.

In another Pacific Region match, top-ranked Long Beach State swept Loyola Marymount, 15-9, 15-5, 15-5, at the Pyramid. Jenn Snyder had 10 kills for Long Beach State.

In a Mountian Region match, UCLA defeated Pepperdine, 15-10, 15-12, 14-16, 15-9, at UC Santa Barbara. UCLA will play Santa Barbara tonight at 7 p.m.

UCLA (17-12) was led by Kara Milling’s 19 kills.

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Brigham Young-Hawaii swept Biola, 15-3, 15-7, 15-4, to win its fourth consecutive NAIA women’s volleyball title.