Titans Of Troy 10/9: Pitchfork Wounds

Titans of Troy was delayed this week to allow any would-be readers to heal from a poisonous weekend of Los Angeles sports. This is particularly aimed at Trojans fans who may also be fans of the Angels or Dodgers. (Hi, Psycho.) (Hi, Chris.)

But now that the calls for pink slips have simmered down a little, it's time to once again give a nod to those who have pulled the pitchforks out of their backs and continue to Fight On. This week's list includes record-breakers, hot streaks, and valiant efforts in defeat.

Let's begin...

5.) Buck Allen

Though Javorius Allen failed to get the last first down that could have sealed the victory, his big day can't be ignored: 143 yards rushing, 86 yards receiving, and two touchdowns. He's still one of the best offensive players in the Pac-12 and is still on pace to reach the 1,000-yard season mark.

4.) Yannick Hanfmann

There's no offseason for the defending NCAA champion men's tennis team, and this past week, the Trojans' senior captain had a strong showing at the ITA All-American Championships. Yannick Hanfmann finished as runner-up in both singles and doubles competition, becoming the first Trojan to reach the singles final at this event since 2007 and the first to reach the doubles final (along with teammate Roberto Quiroz) since 1985.

3.) McQuin Baron

Say hello to USC water polo's newest goalkeeper! McQuin Baron, a local boy from Mater Dei High School, made 12 saves in USC's 14-5 victory on Saturday over UCSB. His highest save total in a game also came against the Gauchos earlier in the season, when he made 15 stops against them during the NorCal Tournament. Next up, Baron and the water polo squad will compete in the SoCal Tournament in Westwood, where they will have a chance to avenge their losses to UCLA and Cal earlier this season.

2.) Alex Quincey

Last week's Top Titan Of Troy continued her torrid scoring pace on Sunday, when she scored both of USC's goals against Utah in a 2-0 victory. Alex Quincey now has a team-best nine goals on the season. The Women of Troy split the weekend with the win over Utah and a 1-0 loss to Colorado, giving them a 8-2-2 record. Their biggest test so far comes up this weekend, as they face top 25 teams Cal and Stanford at McAlister Field.

Some honorable mentions:

Kostas Genidounias - Now holds sole possession of the No. 2 spot on USC water polo's all-time scoring list with 223 career goals. He is 32 goals away from taking the school goals record from his old teammate, Nikola Vavic.

Su'a Cravens - What a game face.

And now, our Top Titan of Troy:

1. Samantha Bricio

USC volleyball's ace outside hitter continues to take the team on her back. Last week, in a five-set road tilt against Washington State, Samantha Bricio had the biggest stat line of her career. She posted a .368 hitting rate, a season high 28 kills, 13 digs, and two aces. She now has six double-doubles on the season and 28 in her career. Even more impressive? Six of her kills came in the final set, allowing USC to win 15-11 and finally claim its first Pac-12 victory of 2014.

But that's not the biggest achievement. Bricio now has 170 career aces. The next one she makes will give her the school record in that category. She has made more aces than any player in USC women's volleyball history and only she's halfway through her junior season. If USC can use this victory to bounce back and return to the top ranks of the Pac-12, it will begin with Bricio.