WHO WHAT WHEN WHERE…
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Washington State volleyball team took a 25-13, 25-22, 25-18 win over Virginia Commonwealth (0-2) Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C. to open the Cougars (1-0) 2018 campaign. The Cougars were in control of the match from the outset, using a series of runs to secure the 3-0 sweep over the defending A-10 champs.

From the outset it was all WSU as the Cougars scored the first six points of the opening set to establish the tone of the match. Behind an offensive onslaught that saw the Cougars hit as match-best .444, WSU never let the Rams find a rhythm in the first set of action, putting the set away with relative ease. The Cougars relied on their outside attack in the first set as Taylor Mims and McKenna Woodford combined for nine kills on 15 attempts with just two errors. Woodford returned to the Cougars' lineup after a season-ending injury cost the senior half of her junior season. The duo would finish the match with a combined 26 kills led by Mims' match-high 16.

With one set in their pocket, the Cougars found themselves in a fight in the second set as the Rams battled back from multiple deficits to stay in the match. Down late, 21-20, the Cougars looked to their ace in the hole, Mims, to finish the job as the senior all-american put WSU on her back with three of the her set-high eight kills in the final five points of the set to secure the victory.

Looking for the quick sweep with an eye on their early match Sunday afternoon, the Cougars once again used a big final push to overpower the Rams. Up just one at 15-14, WSU found a second gear that VCU could not match, closing the set on a 10-4 run for the victory. Sparking the run was a balanced attack from all over the court as Penny Tusa, playing exclusively on the outside, Claire Martin, and Woodford put down five kills and an ace. In addition, the Cougars' block,which had been quiet much of the day, found its rhythm as WSU sandwiched a pair of blocks around a Tusa ace to close out the match.

NOTES…

• WSU won its 28th season opener in the last 32 years.
• Senior Taylor Mims recorded her 900th career kill on her first swing of the day. She finished the match with 915 career kills.
• Junior Alexis Dirige moved into a tie for 10th place in WSU dig history with 1,070 digs, matching Keren Oigman (1994-97).
• The Cougars outhit the Rams .289-to-.033 while picking up six aces and five blocks.

 
MARK YOUR CALENDAR…
Washington State (1-0) plays host NC State (1-0) at 9:30 a.m. PT Aug. 26 to close out its East Coast season-opening weekend.