EUGENE, Ore. – No. 24 Washington State volleyball completed the season sweep of the Oregon Ducks for the first time since 2003 with a four-set win inside Matthew Knight Arena.
Set scores from the match were: 25-20, 25-15, 16-25 and 26-24 in favor of WSU (21-5, 10-4 Pac-12).
Set number one featured a favorable start for the Ducks of Oregon (7-16, 3-12 Pac-12) as the first three points were scored by the home squad. The Cougars answered right back however with a pair of kills from
Magda Jehlářová and
Alexcis Lusby to end the run. Washington State steadily chipped away at the Duck lead, scoring three straight points to tie up the first period at 11-11.
Alexis Dirige capped off the small run with an ace to add to her already Pac-12 leading total. WSU began to take control with a 4-0 scoring run, anchored by kills from
Jocelyn Urias, and
Penny Tusa for the 15-13 advantage. Yet another lead change would occur after the Ducks ripped off three consecutive points to jump ahead 16-15. The Cougars rebounded with a 6-1 run to swing the momentum into their favor and hold a 22-17 lead. The offensive of attack of the Cougars began to click as kills dropped for
Pia Timmer, Urias and Tusa throughout this run. WSU finished off Oregon in set number one with an
Alexcis Lusby kill for the 25-19 win.
These Pac-12 adversaries continued to go back-and-forth to open set number two, with small scoring runs from each to see the Cougars trail 8-7. Tusa provided the scoring for WSU as she totaled an ace and a kill in the early stages of the second period. Lusby helped fuel a 5-0 run from Washington State, totaling two kills to force an Oregon timeout at 12-10 midway through. Washington State definitely found its' rhythm in this set, creating a 9-1 run, beginning with a
Julia Norville ace, and Urias and Tusa kills to hold down the 23-13 lead. A kill from Timmer capped off the set two victory at 25-15 and the 2-0 overall Cougar match advantage.
The Ducks once again got out to an early lead against the Crimson and Gray, generating a 6-1 opening scoring run. Oregon continued to remain in control of the third set, posting another run of 6-0 against the Cougars to lead 16-7 midway through the contest. A pair of kills from Lusby and Timmer gave a bit of a boost to the Cougars, but ultimately the Ducks claimed set three at 25-15 overall.
Washington State began to get back on track to open set four, posting a 4-1 scoring run to go up 5-3 on the Ducks.
Hannah Pukis, Lusby, and Urias all recorded kills during the run to help get the WSU offensive attack rolling. Oregon countered with a 4-1 run of their own to lead the Cougars at 8-7 and this fourth period of action only continued to intensify midway through play. WSU found a bit of breathing room after a 4-1 run of their own for the 12-10 advantage but Oregon fought right back to tie the set at 12-12. WSU got hot late in this set, building a 8-0 run as everyone seemed to get in on the mix of scoring for the Cougars. Timmer and Jehlářová recorded kills, Lusby and Magda posted a huge block, and Pukis continued the run with a service ace for the 21-13 lead. WSU held off any comeback from the Ducks, as an Oregon error saw the match go final in favor of the Cougars at 26-24.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Washington State swept the Ducks of Oregon in the regular season for the first time since 2003. WSU downed Oregon earlier this season at home inside Bohler Gym, by a score of 3-1 as well. This was the first time since 2002 the Cougars swept both the Oregon schools also.
INTO THE TWITTER-VERSE
MATCH NOTES
- Alexis Dirige continued to climb the all-time Pac-12 career digs ranks, posting 18 in today's contest to move her into 10th with 2,047 digs.
- Pia Timmer led the WSU offensive attack with 10 kills, and Jocelyn Urias was just behind Pia with nine kills overall.
- Hannah Pukis recorded 36 assists in the match, along with five kills, a .455 hitting percentage, 16 digs, two aces, and two blocks.
- The Cougars hit the court next, Friday, Nov. 15 as WSU will host the No. 16 Utah Utes inside Bohler Gym, with first serve scheduled for 6 p.m.
