<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3vI1z8_0wFVB2ep00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3vI1z8_0wFVB2ep00" width="675" height="450" ><h2>Story Links</h2><p><b>PISCATAWAY, N.J. –</b> Rutgers volleyball closed out Homecoming weekend on Sunday with a setback to No. 16 USC.</p><p><b>The Trojans, making their first appearance at the State University of New Jersey, topped the Scarlet Knights, 25-16, 25-20, 25-17. <b>STANDOUT STATS</b></b></p><ul><li>Zora Hardison led RU with seven kills, while freshman Natalie Robinson and redshirt junior Alissa Kinkela had six each.</li><li>Georgia Lee got the start at setter making 21 assists.</li><li>For the defense, both sophomore Kenzie Dyrstad and freshman Avery Jesewitz came up with five digs, while Robinson totaled four blocks, including a pair of solo stops.</li></ul><p><b>KEY MOMENTS</b></p><ul><li><b>SET 1 (16-25) |</b> Blocks from Natalie Robinson and Georgia Lee had Rutgers down by a pair at 10-8. After an Alissa Kinkela swing saw RU trailing 12- 9 and an Avery Jesewitz attack had the Scarlet Knights down 13-1, USC expanded its advantage with a 6-1 run to push out to a 19-11 lead. Zora Hardison, who was successful on each of her attempts, and Jesewitz had three kills each for the Scarlet Knights.</li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">S1 | If at first you don't succeed ...<br><br> .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoRu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoRu</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/vxMNYt3POQ">pic.twitter.com/vxMNYt3POQ</a></p> — Rutgers Volleyball (@RUvball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUvball/status/1848052999995727920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><ul><li><b>SET 2 (20-25) |</b> After three ties and three lead changes early, USC went out to a 13-8 lead that the Scarlet Knights would whittle down to one. Out of a timeout, RU outscored the Trojans 6-2 capped by Uliana Yastrub's first career ace to trail 15-14. USC responded with four straight and five of the next six to go ahead 19-15. Rutgers narrowed the gap once again, this time with three unanswered. Back-to-back errors on the attack from the Trojans and a Kinkela kill brought RU within two at 20-18. USC came back with three of their own, but a big rally ending on a Georgia Lee kill and a Natalie Robinson attack saw the Scarlet Knights staying alive at 23-20 before the Trojans closed out the frame. Robinson finished with four kills on six swings and hit .500 for the set.</li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">S2 | What. A. Rally. 👀<br><br> .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoRU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoRU</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/3zq1hX6pp0">pic.twitter.com/3zq1hX6pp0</a></p> — Rutgers Volleyball (@RUvball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUvball/status/1848063361591730452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><ul><li><b>SET 3 (17-25) |</b> A solo stop from Natalie Robinson brought RU within three at 10-7 and back-to-back kills by Hardison saw RU trail 14-11. The Trojans, however, outscored RU 8-2 to cushion its lead and ended hitting .435 for the frame. Hardison and Kinkela both led the Scarlet Knights with a trio of kills with Robinson adding a pair of blocks.</li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">S3 | Never 😴 on Zora in the middle<br><br> .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoRU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoRU</a> ⚔️ <a href="https://t.co/sQqlPeyq27">pic.twitter.com/sQqlPeyq27</a></p> — Rutgers Volleyball (@RUvball) <a href="https://twitter.com/RUvball/status/1848068160626339911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><ul><li>The Rutgers volleyball team makes its inaugural Big Ten West Coast weekend traveling to No. 24 Washington on Friday, Oct. 25 and No. 11 Oregon on Sunday, Oct. 27.</li></ul></div></body>

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Volleyball Topped By No. 16 Trojans

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers volleyball closed out Homecoming weekend on Sunday with a setback to No. 16 USC. The Trojans, making their first appearance at the State University of New Jersey, topped the Scarlet Knights, 25-16, 25-20, 25-17. STANDOUT STATS. Zora Hardison led RU with seven kills, while freshman...