Crosstown rivals.

Conference challengers.

And this time, it all goes down at the Galen Center.

UCLA women’s volleyball (12-8, 6-4 Big Ten) will head across Los Angeles on Wednesday to face No. 22 USC (15-5, 6-4) for its second matchup against its rivals this season. The Bruins swept the first meeting at Pauley Pavilion – a place UCLA has gotten very comfortable with since the beginning of the season, going 8-5 – and now have the opportunity to repeat the result on the road.

But this time around, UCLA will face a USC team riding a four-match win streak and a squad that remains among the conference’s top defensive units, ranking second in the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage at a .173 clip. The Trojans also rank in the top 15 nationally in blocks per set, powered by a front line that has held nine opponents under a .200 hitting percentage this year.

Coach Alfee Reft said the Bruins’ preparation has centered on refining their serve receive – an area he said will be crucial against USC’s defense-heavy system. In the last crosstown matchup, the two teams tied in blocks with nine apiece, so maintaining the UCLA defense at the net will be key.

“She’s passing the crap out of the ball when she’s out there,” Reft said of junior outside hitter Maggie Li. “That’s a big thing for us. To be a six-rotation player, you’ve got to handle that first touch, you’ve got to be a connector for the team, which she does a nice job of.”

Li, who returned to the lineup earlier this month, has averaged nearly three kills per set since rejoining the starting rotation. She said the energy around this matchup has been building all week.

“The most important thing that’s coming up is the SC game,” Li said. “I’m really excited to play in that gym, and I’m ready. I’m just ready.”

In their first meeting, the Bruins held the Trojans to a .115 hitting percentage – their lowest output of the season – while also limiting the Trojans’ leading scorer, outside hitter London Wijay, to under 10 kills.

Now, UCLA will look to replicate that performance away from the confines of Westwood.

To make that happen, the Bruins may rely on captain and senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverett. Leverett led the team in kills in the last crosstown rivalry, posting 14, and she currently leads the team with 271 kills this season.

However, sophomore libero Lola Schumacher said the team has spent the week locking in on details and approaching each day with the same level of focus it expects on match night.

“We talked about the last match, but that’s behind us,” Schumacher said. “Everybody’s focused, and I know they’re hungry. We’re just as hungry. I’m super excited to get back to work with this group, because right now, our whole focus is USC, and that’s all that matters. Whether that’s in practice or every drill, we’re treating every single match and every single point like the biggest game of our life.”

The Bruins and Trojans enter the match tied in conference standings, both sitting at 6-4 records in Big Ten play. A season sweep over USC would give UCLA a valuable tiebreaker and its third win over a ranked opponent this year.

For Reft, the task is simple: build on what worked in the first meeting and sustain execution under pressure.

“It’s about consistency and finishing play,” Reft said. “The effort is there, now it’s about maintaining that level for longer stretches.”