PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers volleyball closed out Homecoming weekend on Sunday with a setback to No. 16 USC.
The Trojans, making their first appearance at the State University of New Jersey, topped the Scarlet Knights, 25-16, 25-20, 25-17.
- SET 1 (16-25) | Blocks from Natalie Robinson and Georgia Lee had Rutgers down by a pair at 10-8. After an Alissa Kinkela swing saw RU trailing 12- 9 and an Avery Jesewitz attack had the Scarlet Knights down 13-1, USC expanded its advantage with a 6-1 run to push out to a 19-11 lead. Zora Hardison, who was successful on each of her attempts, and Jesewitz had three kills each for the Scarlet Knights.
- SET 2 (20-25) | After three ties and three lead changes early, USC went out to a 13-8 lead that the Scarlet Knights would whittle down to one. Out of a timeout, RU outscored the Trojans 6-2 capped by Uliana Yastrub's first career ace to trail 15-14. USC responded with four straight and five of the next six to go ahead 19-15. Rutgers narrowed the gap once again, this time with three unanswered. Back-to-back errors on the attack from the Trojans and a Kinkela kill brought RU within two at 20-18. USC came back with three of their own, but a big rally ending on a Georgia Lee kill and a Natalie Robinson attack saw the Scarlet Knights staying alive at 23-20 before the Trojans closed out the frame. Robinson finished with four kills on six swings and hit .500 for the set.
- SET 3 (17-25) | A solo stop from Natalie Robinson brought RU within three at 10-7 and back-to-back kills by Hardison saw RU trail 14-11. The Trojans, however, outscored RU 8-2 to cushion its lead and ended hitting .435 for the frame. Hardison and Kinkela both led the Scarlet Knights with a trio of kills with Robinson adding a pair of blocks.
- The Rutgers volleyball team makes its inaugural Big Ten West Coast weekend traveling to No. 24 Washington on Friday, Oct. 25 and No. 11 Oregon on Sunday, Oct. 27.
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