No. 13 WSU Volleyball Drops Five-Set Match to No. 21 Utah

Sunday, October 16

Pullman, Wash.

12:00 PM

Washington State University

15-5, 5-3

Utah

14-5, 5-3

Utah

Washington State

October 16, 2016 | Volleyball

Box Score WSU-Utah Box Score

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State senior Kyra Holt led the match with 21 kills but the No. 13 Cougars volleyball team (15-5 overall, 5-3 Pac-12) dropped a five-set match to No. 21 Utah (14-5, 5-3) Sunday in Bohler Gym in Pullman. The Utes won with set scores of 25-22, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, and 15-9.

Holt, had her sixth double-double of the season with 13 digs in addition to her 21 kills, had three blocks and a match-high three aces. McKenna Woodford had nine kills and four blocks. Claire Martin led the match with nine blocks and added seven kills while Taylor Mims had seven kills and seven blocks. Casey Schoenlein contributed seven kills and four blocks. Haley MacDonald had 28 assists and Nicole Rigoni had 18 assists. Alexis Dirige led the match with 19 digs.

Utah's leaders were Adora Anae with 19 kills and 10 digs, Carly Trueman with 12 kills, and Berkeley Oblad with eight kills and seven blocks. Emma Kirst and Tawnee Luafalemana each had seven kills and Kirst had six blocks and Luafalemana had five blocks. Setters Jessie Openshaw and Bailey Choy combined for 55 assists.

Utah hit .200 for the match and held WSU to a .119 hitting percentage. WSU had 17 team blocks to Utah's 14 but the visitors had 62 kills to WSU's 53 and narrowly won the digs battle 64 to 63.

"We're really good at coming back, but we need to start out stronger with the first game and every single set. Just go out and rip it: don't really think about it and play every point like it's your last," Holt said.

"I thought Utah did an exceptional job; played some great defense. They blocked really well at times too," WSU Head Coach Jen Greeny said. "We just need to be better all-around, be more consistent. I know we've been talking about that. I thought Kyra Holt played a great match, but we need to have more going offensively than just her. We have to find a way to get the other hitters to terminate the ball. We passed better than I think we've passed, and just made too many errors offensively."

"The Pac-12 is always tough, and it doesn't matter who you're playing, if you're at home, on the road, it's going to be tough," Greeny said. "I think we need to learn to get better mentally. Be more aggressive, stay aggressive consistently throughout. Just knowing that every team, every single night is going to be giving us their best shot, and we have to learn how to deal with that."

WSU has a short practice week, traveling to the desert to take on Arizona State (8-12, 1-7) Wed., Oct. 19 in Tempe and Arizona (13-7, 5-3) Fri., Oct. 21 in Tucson. Both matches will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.