Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score

Behind Juan Figueroa's game-high 33 kills, the No. 8-ranked USC men's volleyball team came back to defeat No. 13 George Mason, 24-30, 30-23, 27-30, 30-20, 16-14, and capture the championship in the Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic in Springfield, Mass., on Saturday (Feb. 23).

USC improved to 9-8 overall, while George Mason dropped to 8-5.

Figueroa was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player as he hit .423 and added 4 digs, 3 aces and 2 blocks. His final 2 kills were the decisive points in the fifth game.

Fellow Trojan Murphy Troy had 19 kills (hitting .309) and 7 digs, while C.J. Schellenberg had 11 kills, 7 digs and 4 aces, Austin Zahn had 9 kills, Hunter Current had 7 blocks and Luke Morris had 15 digs. Troy and Jimmy Killian, who had 71 assists, 10 digs and 5 blocks, were both named to the All-Tournament team.

For George Mason, Kyle Gramit had 22 kills (hitting .386), 7 blocks and 4 aces, Hudson Bates added 14 kills and 10 digs and Mark Burik had 12 kills, 6 digs and 4 blocks. Gramit and Bates both made the All-Tournament team.

USC hit .349 to the Patroits' .297 and had more digs (44 to 32). But George Mason outblocked the Trojans, 16.0 to 12.0.

In the consolation match, Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne swept host Springfield of NCAA Division III, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27.

USC next returns to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action when it hosts No. 5 Pepperdine on Friday (Feb. 29) at 7 p.m. in the Galen Center.