Woodford Kill 02
Dean Hare/WSU Photo Services
1
Tennessee UT 26-6
3
Winner Washington State WSU 23-9
Tennessee UT
26-6
1
Final
3
Washington State WSU
23-9
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Tennessee UT 28 18 25 13 (1)
Washington State WSU 30 25 19 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Athletic Communications

Cougars Advance to Sweet Sixteen With Win Over Tennessee

Woodford helps lead the offense to first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2002.

WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE
PULLMAN, Wash. – The No. 16 seeded Washington State Cougars (23-9) defeated the Volunteers of Tennessee (26-6) Saturday evening to advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2002. 

Set scores from the match were: 30-28, 25-18, 19-25, and 25-13 in favor of the Cougars.. 

The Volunteers of Tennessee saw early control of this matchup after a quick 3-0 scoring run over the Cougars put them out in front at 10-7. Washington State came fully prepared, and this opening set turned into a battle after a 6-0 run gave WSU a 14-11 advantage courtesy of back-to-back aces from Taylor Mims, and kills from Jocelyn Urias, and McKenna Woodford. The Vols countered with a 6-0 scoring run of their own to regain the lead at 21-18. The Cougars continued to fight, generating a pair of 3-0 scoring runs after crucial kills from both Woodford, and Urias, and ultimately capped off set one with an Ella Lajos, and Claire Martin block for the 30-28 win. 

Washington State continued to ride the opening set momentum with a 5-1 run after an Alexis Dirige ace, and a Martin kill to surge ahead of the Volunteers. The Cougars kept the pressure on Tennessee with scoring runs of 3-0, and 4-0 with multiple kills from Mims, and an additional from Woodford to put the home lead out to 18-9 overall. WSU sealed the second set off with an Ashley Brown kill, and winning the set after a service error from the Vols. 

Roles were reversed in the third set of play in this match, as Tennessee took control of the game with a pair of scoring runs at 3-0, and a 5-0 run as well that put the Vols up 20-10 over Washington State. The Cougars did cut down the opposing lead a bit with a 7-1 run featuring multiple blocks from Urias, and a Penny Tusa ace. UT would end up claiming the set over WSU however, scoring back-to-back points for the 25-19 set victory. 

The Cougars and the Volunteers were locked in an intense battle early on in set number four, until Washington State began to find its' rhythm, totaling six straight points to jump out to a 16-9 advantage. The offensive attack was clicking in this final set as kills from Mims, Woodford, Brown, and Urias continued to fuel WSU ahead to a late 20-12 lead. WSU finished Tennessee off with a 4-0 run from kills by Woodford, and Mims, along with a service ace from Taylor, and a block from Brown and Urias to win it 25-13 and advance. 
 

STAT OF THE MATCH
Tonight's state of the match features the last time the Cougars advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2002, when Washington State defeated Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas to continue on in the NCAA Championship Tournament. 


THE MOMENTS THAT MADE THE MATCH NOTES 
  • McKenna Woodford continued to lead the offensive attack as she totaled 19 kills, while hitting .261 during the contest.
  • Claire Martin record seven blocks on the night, five of which were block assists, and two solo blocks
  • Taylor Mims, and Jocelyn Urias each notched double-digit kills with 17, and 14 respectively.
  • Ashley Brown posted her 17th double-double of the year as she recorded 43 assists, and 10 digs in the win. 
     
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Washington State will gear up to take on number one overall tournament seed Stanford next, on the road in California, Friday, December 7 in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Championship Tournament. 

 
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