Washington State University Athletics
Friday, September 15
Springfield, Mo.
4:00 PM
Washington State University
10-1
3
at
2
Missouri State
7-4
1
2
3
4
5
F
Washington State
18
25
25
23
15
3
Missouri State
25
22
15
25
12
2
Volleyball Takes 3-2 Win at Missouri State
September 15, 2017 | Volleyball
WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE…
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Washington State volleyball team (10-1) needed five sets but grabbed a 18-25, 25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 15-12 win over host Missouri State (7-4) Friday evening at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.
This was the seventh straight win for WSU.
A trio of Cougars had double-double match statistics led by junior Taylor Mims' career-highs of 20 kills and 15 digs. McKenna Woodford had 15 kills and 13 digs and Ashley Brown had 23 assists and a career-high 21 digs. Alexis Dirige contributed 15 digs and served three of WSU's six aces. Penny Tusa added 19 assists.
It was an outstanding day for the WSU front row players with a career-high nine blocks for Ella Lajos followed by Jocelyn Urias with eight blocks and Claire Martin with six blocks. WSU out-blocked the Bears 18 to 1 even though the home team out-hit the Cougs 72 to 56 and out-dug the visitors 91 to 78.
WHY & HOW...
WSU Head Coach Jen Greeny said, "This was a very hard-fought win. I thought we dug down deep and did some really great things against a very good team. And Missouri State will have a lot of success this year. I'm proud of the way we battled and thought we could have taken it in four sets when we were up big in the fourth. But they came storming back because that's what good teams do. But we were able to settle down and start pretty well in the fifth set and take it at the end."
Regarding the opening set loss Greeny said, "It was due a little bit to the passing. I didn't think our hitters were doing a great job as we were really predictable during the first set. And our defense wasn't there either. We dug much better in the second set and the rest of the match and I think that made a difference. A lot of credit goes to our servers. We served extremely well, especially the third set and they couldn't get anything going."
About the big discrepancy in blocking numbers Greeny said, "We talked about getting our blocking going and we did that tonight. I think they are a better blocking team than what the stats show but that means that our hitters did a nice job of hitting around the block. Missouri State played some tremendous defense and that kept them in the match. I'm just happy we could get the kills when we needed them."
"A really nice job of our two outsides. I thought Taylor and McKenna played huge especially in the later sets. We started moving McKenna around a little bit and she hit the line and played good defense along the way as well."
About the middles play tonight Greeny said, "Jocelyn had eight blocks tonight and that's a lot of blocks but she touched probably 20 more balls that they covered as well! She did a fantastic job across the net and Ella was closing those blocks as well."
Junior middle blocker Ella Lajos said, "The coaches gave us a few key strategies that they felt would lead us to a win tonight. Taking advantage of our physicality and blocking was on that list and I really wanted to contribute in that area of the game. I focused on tracking my hitter and closing the blocks so that my team could play defense around me. It was a great overall blocking effort from our team. Glad I could be a part of it!"
NOTES…
MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State (10-1) has one more matches in Springfield, Mo. The Cougars play Chattanooga (7-6) Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. PT.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Washington State volleyball team (10-1) needed five sets but grabbed a 18-25, 25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 15-12 win over host Missouri State (7-4) Friday evening at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.
This was the seventh straight win for WSU.
A trio of Cougars had double-double match statistics led by junior Taylor Mims' career-highs of 20 kills and 15 digs. McKenna Woodford had 15 kills and 13 digs and Ashley Brown had 23 assists and a career-high 21 digs. Alexis Dirige contributed 15 digs and served three of WSU's six aces. Penny Tusa added 19 assists.
It was an outstanding day for the WSU front row players with a career-high nine blocks for Ella Lajos followed by Jocelyn Urias with eight blocks and Claire Martin with six blocks. WSU out-blocked the Bears 18 to 1 even though the home team out-hit the Cougs 72 to 56 and out-dug the visitors 91 to 78.
WHY & HOW...
WSU Head Coach Jen Greeny said, "This was a very hard-fought win. I thought we dug down deep and did some really great things against a very good team. And Missouri State will have a lot of success this year. I'm proud of the way we battled and thought we could have taken it in four sets when we were up big in the fourth. But they came storming back because that's what good teams do. But we were able to settle down and start pretty well in the fifth set and take it at the end."
Regarding the opening set loss Greeny said, "It was due a little bit to the passing. I didn't think our hitters were doing a great job as we were really predictable during the first set. And our defense wasn't there either. We dug much better in the second set and the rest of the match and I think that made a difference. A lot of credit goes to our servers. We served extremely well, especially the third set and they couldn't get anything going."
About the big discrepancy in blocking numbers Greeny said, "We talked about getting our blocking going and we did that tonight. I think they are a better blocking team than what the stats show but that means that our hitters did a nice job of hitting around the block. Missouri State played some tremendous defense and that kept them in the match. I'm just happy we could get the kills when we needed them."
"A really nice job of our two outsides. I thought Taylor and McKenna played huge especially in the later sets. We started moving McKenna around a little bit and she hit the line and played good defense along the way as well."
About the middles play tonight Greeny said, "Jocelyn had eight blocks tonight and that's a lot of blocks but she touched probably 20 more balls that they covered as well! She did a fantastic job across the net and Ella was closing those blocks as well."
Junior middle blocker Ella Lajos said, "The coaches gave us a few key strategies that they felt would lead us to a win tonight. Taking advantage of our physicality and blocking was on that list and I really wanted to contribute in that area of the game. I focused on tracking my hitter and closing the blocks so that my team could play defense around me. It was a great overall blocking effort from our team. Glad I could be a part of it!"
This is how ESPN3 sees as one of the keys to the match. #GoCougs #RiseAgain pic.twitter.com/kMglBbL5x1
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 15, 2017
Cougs score a TRIO of POINTS for the S2 WIN! #RiseAgain pic.twitter.com/Z5sm772Pq0
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 16, 2017
More insight into the match from ESPN3. #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/yVsZlaoNdh
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 16, 2017
Urias and Woodford team up for ANOTHER COUGAR BLOCK - 15 WSU blocks in this match so far!! #BeUncommon #RiseAgain
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 16, 2017
Claire Martin's HUGE SLAM gives WSU an 8-6 lead at S5 bench change! #GoCougs
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 16, 2017
NOTES…
- Missouri State's Lily Johnson played with McKenna Woodford, Casey Schoenlein and for Coach Jen Greeny on the 2016 US CNT-Europe and played again with Woodford on the 2017 CNT-Thailand team. Johnson, a senior, has already achieved 1000 kills and digs in her career and had 23 kills and 22 digs tonight.
- Missouri State uses both a 5-1 and a 6-2 offensive scheme.
- Bears scored seven straight to go ahead in fourth set 21-19 and take 25-23 win.
- Missouri State got its first block of the match at 10-9 in the fifth set.
- Earlier today WSU def. Tennessee State 3-0 for Coach Greeny's 100th win at the WSU helm.
- WSU had won 20 consecutive sets in 2017 before dropping the first set at Missouri State.
- WSU is t-29th in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll and Missouri State is 32nd.
- Attendance: 905
MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State (10-1) has one more matches in Springfield, Mo. The Cougars play Chattanooga (7-6) Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. PT.
Team Stats
WSU
MSU
Kills
56
72
Errors
21
37
Attempts
179
205
Hitting %
.196
.171
Points
80.0
76.0
Assists
53
70
Aces
6
3
Blocks
18.0
1.0
Game Leaders
Kills
20
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
15
Aces
1
Blocks
4
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Players Mentioned
Setter
/ Volleyball
DS/L
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballMB/OPP
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
OPP
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballMB
/ VolleyballOH
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