The ASU volleyball team put up a fight Saturday night but came up short in its final home match of the year.
The Sun Devils (7-19, 2-14) fended off two Trojan game points to come back and steal the second game but fell in four sets to the No. 14 team in the nation 30-22, 31-33, 30-26 and 30-17.
"We were excited to win a game, but a game isn't a match," coach Brad Saindon said. "I'm proud of my team. They're still playing hard and haven't packed it in yet."
After losing the first game, ASU rebounded in game two, which was close throughout. The Sun Devils led by four points on two separate occasions, but USC battled back and took a late 27-26 lead on consecutive kills by Staci Venski.
The Sun Devils kept pace to tie the game on a kill by junior outside hitter Nicole Morton and took a 32-31 on a blast by sophomore outside hitter Kristin Trayser. ASU closed out the game on a USC attack error to even the match at a game apiece.
"Lately, we've been focusing on everyone on the court playing well instead of just one or two people," said Trayser, who had seven of her 14 kills in the second set. "That was evident in the second game. I just wish we could have pulled it out, especially for the seniors playing their last game at home."
The second game featured 18 ties and seven lead changes.
"I thought my team battled all night," Saindon said. "They could have collapsed in the second game; that's what we've done in the past. Whenever we lost our chance (to close out the game), we fought back and came up with another one."
ASU fell behind by seven points early in the third game but came within one, 23-22, on a tip by Morton. USC pulled away to take a 26-22 lead on a block by All-American Bibiana Candelas.
The Sun Devils wouldn't go away and answered with a tip by junior outside hitter Nina Reeves and a service ace by freshman outside hitter Margie Giordano to keep pace.
But that was as close as ASU would come. The Trojans finished off the game with back-to-back kills by Venski.
Candelas had a match-high 35 kills for USC, while Morton led ASU with 22 kills and added 18 digs.
Saturday's match also featured the top-two liberos in the Pac-10, and they were as good as advertised. ASU sophomore Sydney Donahue recorded 40 digs, while USC's Debora Seilhamer tallied 39.
The Sun Devils lost in straight sets to No. 16 UCLA on Friday 30-28, 30-26 and 30-27.
Reach the reporter at derrik.miller@asu.edu.
