USC women's volleyball looks to improve before conference play

By Josh Finley sports Reporter

The 4-4 USC women's volleyball team knows they have to get better before they open Pac-12 Conference play next week. Nine of the 12 Pac-12 teams have winning records and three teams are ranked in the top 25 of Women's college volleyball. They will finish another road trip this week after they face Illinois on Thursday and Purdue on Friday in the Boilermaker Challenge Tournament.

When they return home, they have to travel across town to face the 7-1 UCLA Bruins on Wednesday at 7 p.m. On September 24, they return home for three matches against Oregon State on September 24, at 1 p.m., Utah September 29 at 7 p.m. and Colorado on October 1, at 1 p.m.

Last week the Trojans won their own tournament by defeating UC Davis, Marist and San Deigo. Against San Diego the Trojans won the match three games to one. "This has all been a process and we are taking it one game at a time," said Kalyah Williams after the San Deigo match last Sunday. "We can be really good if we continue to play hard. The only people that can beat us is ourselves."

Junior setter Mia Tuaniga from Long Beach is the vocal leader on the team. She recorded her 18th career double-double against San Diego. "I did not know that until after the game but it's takes a lot of hard work that the whole team puts in."

Head coach Brad Keller now in his fourth year had this to say after the San Diego win. "It was a great win and an ugly win. Every match is important. This team has strong minded individuals, but we have to get better in our execution."