Volleyball Falls in Four Sets to No. 7 Washington

Wednesday, September 20

Pullman, Wash.

6:00 PM

Washington State University

11-2, 0-1Pac-12

Washington

11-1, 1-0Pac-12

Washington

Washington State

September 20, 2017 | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE…
PULLMAN, Wash. -- The Washington State volleyball team (11-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) dropped the opening Pac-12 Conference match of 2017 season to No. 7 Washington (11-1, 1-0) Wednesday night before 1,910 fans in Bohler Gym.

The Huskies won the match with set scores of 25-19, 25-18, 21-25 and 25-22.

Cougars junior Taylor Mims led the match with 20 kills which equals her career-high, while junior McKenna Woodford added 10 kills for WSU. Freshman setter Penny Tusa had a double-double with 17 assists and 17 digs and Ashley Brown tallied 23 assists. Jocelyn Urias had eight kills, hit .375 and served two aces. Ella Lajos had six kills, hit.357 and led the match with seven blocks. Alexis Dirige added 13 digs and Claire Martin contributed five blocks.

The match had 28 tie scores, 11 of which came in the fourth set, and a total of 13 lead changes, six of which were in the last set.

In team statistics, Washington won kills (57-50) and blocks (14-12) while the Cougars out-dug the visitors 58-56. UW hit .222 for the match and held WSU to a .170 hitting percentage.

WHY & HOW...
WSU Head Coach Jen Greeny said, "I thought we came out of the game break really well. We started serving much better in the third and fourth sets, and I think that's what we were really missing in the first two sets. I think our passing could have been a lot better and we just made some silly mistakes. I think those will get better as we go along in the season. We weren't serving tough so we talked about serving much more tough so that we could get them more out of system and get our blocking and defense a little more in sync. I thought it was pretty quiet on the court and we just needed to play with a little more intensity and passion, and I think we did that out of the game break. It was a very good Washington team and we just have to continue on to the next one."

"It's a fantastic atmosphere we have in Bohler Gym so great thanks to all the fans that came out tonight. You guys really don't know how much it gives us a home court advantage. We'll see you when we are back here in October."

Junior middle blocker Ella Lajos on her performance tonight said, "I felt in the beginning it was kind of rough, but our serving started to pick up so that really helped force (the Huskies) out of system so I was able to read better, stay stopped and then go up hard. We need to be a lot more fired up. We were kind of playing timid and we just need to go out there and swing. We kind of half hit it, but we need to come out with the fire that we had in the locker room beforehand."

About the Challenge Review System, Lajos said, "We all just come together and say whatever way this goes we just have to fight through the next point and get it going. (We need to) just try and get fired up whether it goes our way or not."

Junior outside hitter McKenna Woodford said, "I think put a pretty solid block up on me in that second set. The first set I had them a little bit but in that second set I didn't quite see the block and they've got some tall kids in the middle so I wasn't quite smart enough with where I was placing the ball."
About not having senior opposite Casey Schoenlein in the lineup tonight, Woodford said "It's huge. We're really looking forward to having her back; just having that blocker out there, those hands, and having another offensive weapon. I feel like we are a little too predictable right now, so having Casey back and her fire and her passion and her grit she is what this team is about, so we're really missing her."

We may not have won the point but we've got to give some props to the defensive efforts #GoCougs #BeUncommon pic.twitter.com/wU0cgbpO45
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 21, 2017

Mims with the kill to start a three-point rally for the Cougs #GoCougs #RiseAgain pic.twitter.com/TapVR219SJ
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 21, 2017

Quick to the pin, Martin sends one back, the first of two-straight blocks for the Cougs #GoCougs #WinTheDay pic.twitter.com/Jddl6Kc4lC
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 21, 2017

Wow, just wow, Brown with the one handed set to Lajos who crushes for the kill #GoCougs #WinTheDay pic.twitter.com/IDgXv4X0VM
— Cougar Volleyball (@wsuvolleyball) September 21, 2017

NOTES…

This was the first contest in the newly created Boeing Apple Cup Series for 2017-18.
Washington's .222 hitting percentage is the highest of any WSU opponent this season, surpassing Incarnate Word's .219 at the Cougar Challenge Aug. 31.
Junior DS Olivia Coale subbed into the back row in three sets and provided defensive spark.
WSU is 31st in this week's AVCA Coaches Poll.
Attendance: 1,910

MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State (11-1) travels to Tucson for a Sat., Sept. 23, 6 p.m. match at Arizona (6-3* pending 9/21 match at Arizona State).