Top-Ranked Trojans Spike No. 2 Long Beach

The top-ranked and defending national champion USC men’s volleyball team continued its drive toward a second consecutive NCAA title by defeating second-ranked Cal State Long Beach, 16-14, 17-15, 11-15, 15-8, Friday night before a crowd of 1,752 at USC’s Lyon Center.

It was the first meeting between the two teams since last year’s NCAA final, when the Trojans beat Long Beach in four games behind the play of Bryan Ivie.

Ivie, the college player of the year last season, was dominant again Friday night. The 6-7 senior from Manhattan Beach had 36 kills and 13 blocks for the Trojans.

With the victory, USC improved its record to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in the Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn.

Long Beach is 14-2 and 6-1.

“A lot of teams we have played in league so far have kind of folded over,” Ivie said. “We expected them (Long Beach) to play us tough and they did.”

Long Beach seemed to have lost an emotional edge when it blew an 11-7 lead in the first game.

The 49ers’ fate was sealed in the second game when, leading 15-14, they were called for having a player out of position while receiving a serve. Instead of Long Beach getting a sideout, USC was awarded the point and went on to win the game on a hitting error by Long Beach and a kill by Leon Devaney.

Brent Hilliard had a match-high 41 kills for Long Beach.