CBU Takes USC to Four

Saturday, April 8

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

7-21, 2-16MPSF

USC

14-13, 8-10MPSF

USC

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

4/8/2017 10:39:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — In its final Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match, California Baptist University did what it has done all year: battle. The Lancers put up another fight Saturday night against No. 11-ranked USC, but dropped the match 3-1 (25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 25-21).

CBU drops to 7-21 on the year and finishes conference with a 2-16 mark. The Trojans improve to 14-13 overall and 8-10 in conference.

The Lancers out-blocked the Trojans for the second night in a row, posting eight blocks to Troy's four. Caleb Miller and Kevin Vaz each finished with four total blocks, including one solo stuff a piece. Luis Palos led with 11 kills, while Vaz chipped in 10 more. Defensively, Palos, Robert Hadobas and Emmett Enriques each posted five kills.

After going down a set, CBU rallied in the second to even the match at 1-1.

The set started pretty even before the Lancers jumped out to a 10-7 lead off a kill from Palos, a USC error and a combo block from Vaz, Miller and Palos. CBU extended that lead to five points, 21-16, off three-straight USC errors. The Lancers reached set point on a Trojan service error and Palos sealed the 25-21 victory with a kill.

Both teams battled for the upper hand in the swing set, with the score being tied eight times and the lead exchanging four times before USC managed to get some separation, 16-12.

The Lancers called a timeout and pulled back within three, but it was the closest they would get as USC took the set 25-21.

Down 23-16 in the fourth, CBU launched a ferocious comeback attempt. Enrique de Diego Garcia sparked a 4-0 run to put the Lancers within three points. It started with a Garcia kill and followed with a Garcia ace, before a USC error and a solo block from Jackson Burge put CBU within 23-20.

The Trojans cut the run before CBU could get too much momentum and sealed the match win with a 25-21 fourth-set victory.

CBU concludes the season Wednesday with a nonconference matchup with UC San Diego at 7:00 p.m.