One of the first things UCLA athletes prepare for upon stepping foot in Westwood is the crosstown rivalry.

Freshman outside hitter Kiki Horne is one of nine Bruins gearing up for their first battle against the Trojans.

UCLA’s women’s volleyball (8-6, 2-3 Big Ten) is returning to Los Angeles, but instead of playing in Pauley Pavilion, it is headed into enemy territory to face No. 16 USC (11-4, 3-2).

“I’m so excited,” Horne said. “The gym is probably going to be packed, it’s going to be so loud, and most of all, we want to beat our rivals.”

The last time the Bruins met the Trojans at the Galen Center, the match went to five sets – with the Bruins walking away victorious, ending the 2023 season with a win. Junior outside/opposite hitter Grayce Olson, who contributed nine kills to the Bruins’ winning effort, said she is used to the rivalry and will act as a mentor for the unaccustomed players.

“It’s going to be a super exciting game,” Olson said. “The rivalry is intense, so we expect a lot of fans at the match. We know USC has a strong team, but we also believe they’re a team we can beat.”

USC enters the matchup following a 19-13 campaign last year and is now bolstered by the addition of standout outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, a graduate transfer from Nebraska. Batenhorst has racked up 224 kills this season, contributing at least 15 kills in nine separate matches.

UCLA is riding a high after a 3-1 win over No. 24 Washington, handing the Huskies their second loss of the season. Graduate student middle blocker Anna Dodson racked up 12 kills and three blocks to contribute to the unranked Bruins’ second victory against a top-25 team this season.

Junior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette leads the Bruins’ top scorers this season with 188 kills, followed by Horne, Olson and Dodson with 143, 126 and 111, respectively.

With the demands of traveling and competing in the Big Ten, recovery is a top priority.

“The first thing we’re going to do is rest up, then we’ll have two days of training to fine-tune some things on our side before the big game,” said coach Alfee Reft.

The stage is set with the first serve to come in at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.