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[Editor’s note: Off the Block in collaboration with the EIVA is presenting The Top 15 EIVA Non-Conference Matches. This list spotlights the best non-conference matches scheduled for EIVA teams in 2019 and will be the first time several of these matches have been publicly announced. Princeton versus USC is ranked No. 10 on the list.]
One year after its first all-time meeting, Princeton and USC will be back at it again.
Princeton announced that for the second straight year it will play a non-conference match against USC as part of its annual early-season West Coast road trip.
In the inaugural meeting, USC defeated Princeton in four games to open its 2018 season.
The Trojans finished last season in sixth place in the MPSF and pulled off two late-season upsets against top-five nationally ranked teams. USC in the final weeks of the regular season beat its cross-town rival USC and then defeated Pepperdine the MPSF Tournament quarterfinals.
All-MPSF Freshman middle attacker Sam Lewis highlights the starters returning for the Trojans next season. In addition, Lewis spent the offseason being the captain of the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team and helped the team to a fourth-place finish at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship.
USC is 41-10 all-time against EIVA opponents, including 23-0 versus all EIVA opponents besides Penn State.
Princeton days following its season-opening loss to USC rebounded to beat then-No. 8 Stanford for its third non-conference win against a MPSF opponent since 2015.
The Tigers concluded the season with two wins against nationally ranked teams and swept the season series against Penn State. It also advanced to the EIVA Tournament finals for the first time since 2014.
The match versus USC will be part of the Tigers’ second West Coast road trip in the opening month of the season. Along with playing USC on Jan. 31, Princeton will face Big West schools UC San Diego on Jan. 29 and CSUN on Feb. 1