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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:33 p.m., Friday, January 9, 2009

Volleyball: USC sweeps UH men

Advertiser Staff

Outside hitter Murphy Troy buried 19 kills and made 14 digs to power Southern California to a 30-25, 30-27, 30-23 victory over the host Hawai'i tonight in the Outrigger Hotels Invitational.

Both teams are 1-1 entering tonight's final night of the 15th round robin event.

Joshua Walker led the Warriors with 15 kills.

The Warriors had no answers for the Trojans' multiple offense.

Punahou School graduate Riley McKibbin, as the Trojans' setter, had his pick of poisons. He opened by feeding middle blocker Austin Zahn. That forced the Warriors to double-clutch, opening the way for Troy and Sean Dennis to attack from the corners.

Troy, who is 6 feet 8 and 250 pounds, hits what is considered to be a "heavy" shot.

Dennis, an opposite attacker who hits mostly from the right side, relies on cross-court spikes. Dennis had 12 kills; Zahn contributed 10.

Zahn said he finds extra inspiration by facing high school rival Matt "Dragon" Rawson.

But Rawson departed in the second set after aggravating his sore left shoulder. He did not play the rest of the match.

In yesterday's opening match, opposite hitter Ryan Sweitzer slammed a match-high 15 kills to power Penn State to a 30-27, 30-24, 30-19 sweep of Ohio State.

The Nittany Lions (2-0) meet the Warriors tonight. The Buckeyes are 0-2.

The double-max middle — Max Lipsitz and Max Holt — also constructed an imposing block, as well as contributed to the offense. Lipsitz had 12 kills in 19 swings and hit .579. Holt had three aces, all in Set 3, giving him 10 in the first matches of this round robin.

And the Lions' offense found direction from second-year freshman Edgardo Goas.

Goas spent his redshirt season learning from Luke Murray, who steered the Lions to the 2008 national championship.

"I'm trying to run the offense like he did," Goas said.