Tigers Drop Hard-Fought Match to #5 USC

Friday, January 16

Los Angeles, Calif.

10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT

Princeton University

0-2,0-0EIVA

USC

3-0,1-0MPSF

Princeton

Southern California

January 17, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – Dropping a hard-fought battle, the #18 Princeton men's volleyball team fell to #5 USC, 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 24-26, 18-25) on Friday night in Los Angeles.

Owen Mellon led the Tigers with a career-high 20 kills on the night. With 20 swings, he had a hitting percentage of .417. Nolan Kelly also tallied a career-high 52 assists.

Defensively, Tristan Whitfield led the Tigers in blocks with one solo and four assists. Roan Alviar, at libero, came up with clutch digs for a total of seven in the match.

How It Happened
Despite taking the first point of the match, the Tigers couldn't hold on to set one for long as USC went on a run after 3-3. Scoring five points to Princeton's one, the Trojans built up a lead that despite their efforts, the Tigers would not be able to overcome in the first set. With Princeton registering seven errors to the Trojans' zero, USC took the first set 25-17.

In set two, however, the Tigers looked clinical as Whitfield set the tone with a kill on the first point. Following it up, Mellon dominated as he made three more kills on Princeton's way to a 15-10 lead.

With Kelly dishing out assists to Mellon and Andrew Werner, and Whitfield, Werner and Engling combining for a big block, Princeton charged to 25 points without ever allowing USC to take the lead. With a set score of 25-20, the Tigers tied the match at 1-1.

Set three was a contentious battle with both sides putting together solid performances as they looked to gain the advantage in the match. A set that saw 11 ties, the Tigers and the Trojans were even through five points before USC took a slight lead. Trailing by two, the Tigers looked to answer USC's points, but USC was able to extend their lead to four points by 14-10.

That would prove to be the largest lead of the set, as Princeton clawed back to tie it at 15 before taking a lead of their own. With USC tying it again at 20-20 as both sides chased set point, the Tigers came up with clutch plays as Mellon made another powerful kill at 22-22. At 23-24, Kelly, Mellon and Whitfield combined for a big block to make it 24 for the Tigers.

With a Tiger service error and a block of their own, however, USC took the set 26-24.

In set four, USC again got an early lead and kept it, thwarting the Tigers' efforts to climb back and equalize. Despite a combined 10 kills from Mellon and Werner, USC would go on to take the set 25-18.

Of Note

Mellon had a career-high 20 kills and Werner hit a career-high 14 kills as the two Tigers made double-figures.
Kelly had a career-high 52 assists.
A close match, USC had 58 kills to Princeton's 55 while the Trojans had 12 attack errors to the Tigers' 14.

Up Next
Princeton will stay in California for another matchup with Concordia on Tuesday. The first serve is set for 5 p.m. PST in Irvine, Calif.