WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE…
PULLMAN, Wash. -- It was lucky number 13 for the Washington State volleyball team (13-4 overall, 2-3 in Pac-12) as the Cougars, playing without three-year starter
McKenna Woodford, claimed a 25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 30-28 win over No. 25 Colorado (12-4, 2-3) Friday night in Bohler Gym.
Junior outside hitter
Taylor Mims led the Cougars with a career-high 24 kills and had five digs and two blocks. Senior opposite
Casey Schoenlein, shifting over to take the injured Woodford's place, had 13 kills, a pair of blocks and served the match-winning ace. Freshman
Penny Tusa had three kills, 29 assists, two block and an ace and
Ashley Brown added another 20 assists. Junior
Ella Lajos had nine kills, hit a team-high .353 and had three blocks. Redshirt sophomore
Jocelyn Urias led the match with seven blocks while adding five kills. Sophomore
Alexis Dirige led the match with 23 digs and served a pair of aces.
WSU and Colorado each had 60 kills and each had 68 digs. The Buffs narrowly edged the Cougars with a .209 hitting percentage to WSU's .205. WSU won the blocking wars 11 to 9.
WHY & HOW...
WSU Head Coach Jen Greeny said, "It was a great team effort. That's what happens when you don't have one of your players: everybody else has to step up and they did just that tonight so I'm very proud of the entire team.
Casey Schoenlein did a fantastic job of moving over to the left side and we pieced it together from there. Everybody else really stepped up. I thought at times our passing and serving were really great. I know Colorado stepped it up in the third and fourth sets but we responded and got it done."
On freshman
Penny Tusa taking on more than setting tonight, Greeny said, "(She played) pretty great for a freshman. She used to playing (everywhere). That's what she did all through club and through high school so this is nothing different for her. It's at a much higher level but she's such an athlete and she would do anything for this team: that's just the kind of player and kid that she is. Very proud of her."
On senior opposite
Casey Schoenlein ending the match with an ace after serving for the first time in her WSU career, Greeny said, "Casey did a great job this summer with the U.S. Collegiate National Team and was one of the best servers out there. I'm sure she was confident going back there and the net gave us a little love so that helps as well."
Junior outside hitter Taylor Mims said, "Playing without McKenna was a big hole to fill, for sure. Missing a 6-4 girl (who is) able to play outside, passing well, blocking and defense, that's really hard. (Despite) having people thrown into new positions, I think we faced adversity and came out with the win."
NOTES…
- This is the second consecutive win over Colorado by WSU. The Cougars won Nov. 20, 2016, in Boulder, 3-0.
- The last time WSU defeated Colorado in Pullman was Halloween night 2012, a 3-0 Cougars win.
- This was the first win over a ranked team this season for WSU.
- This was the first time in 252 sets in a WSU uniform that Casey Schoenlein had served and it was a match-winning ace.
- Attendance: 1,203
MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State (13-4 overall, 2-3 in Pac-12) takes on No. 15 Utah (13-3, 4-1) upset winner in five sets at No. 9 Washington Friday night, Sunday, Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. in Bohler Gym.
