USC beats defending champ Penn State

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Murphy Troy had 24 kills to lead Southern California over defending national champion Penn State 3-1 in the NCAA men's volleyball semifinals Thursday, ending the Nittany Lions' run of 11 straight wins.

Penn State hadn't lost a set since March 14 and took a 1-0 lead by winning the opener, but the Trojans won the next three — 30-26, 30-26 and 30-24. Austin Zahn clinched it for USC with a kill that was too much for the Nittany Lions to handle, bouncing high into the rafters at BYU's Smith Fieldhouse as the Trojans stormed the court.

The Trojans (21-10) will play the winner of Thursday's late semifinal between UC Irvine and Ohio State in the championship Saturday.

Will Price led Penn State (27-4) with 17 kills.

The Trojans, who have won four national titles, are back in the championship game for the first time since they finished second in 1991.

Tri Bourne added 13 kills and hit .458 — more than twice the .222 average he carried into the match Thursday and the Trojans hit .484 as a team. He also had two aces, including one during a three-point spurt that put the Trojans in command of the final set with a 27-22 lead.

Riley McKibbin had 62 assists and five kills for USC, which avenged a five-set loss to Penn State in the season opener by ending the Nittany Lions' hopes of repeating. The Nittany Lions were hoping to match Penn State's women's team with two straight volleyball titles.

Penn State hadn't lost a match since Long Beach State won in five sets on March 14, which was also the last time the Lions lost a set.

Penn State fell behind early in the opening set, but pulled away at the end for a 1-0 lead. Price set up set point with a kill that bounced into the upper level seats, then Max Holt gave the Lions a 30-27 win with a block.

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