PULLMAN, Wash. – No. 22 Washington State volleyball got back on track Sunday afternoon, defeating the Trojans of USC in four sets inside Bohler Gym.
Set scores from the match were: 25-21, 22-25, 25-23 and 27-25 in favor of WSU (19-5, 8-4 Pac-12).
The Cougars knew they were going to get a battle against USC (13-9, 7-5 Pac-12) in the second meeting between these two programs. The Trojans opened the match with a 3-0 scoring run over WSU and would remain ahead throughout most of the opening set. Washington State began creating their comeback, starting with a 4-0 run with kills from Jocelyn Urias, Kalyah Williams, and a Julia Norville service ace. The Cougars took the lead after a 6-0 run as Pia Timmer posted three kills in the run, along with a Penny Tusa ace, giving the home squad the 22-18 advantage. The power of Magda Jehlářová was too much down the stretch of this opening period and WSU claimed set one at 25-21.
This second set of action was much more intense than the first, as the set as a whole featured 11 total ties and five lead changes. The Cougars held a 14-12 lead midway through the set, after back-to-back kills from Jehlářová, and a block from Alexcis Lusby and Magda as well. The Trojans rattled off four consecutive points to claim a slim 16-14 advantage, and would not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the set however. Despite the Cougars tying the set up three additional times late, USC finished off WSU with a kill at 25-22.
Alexcis Lusby took over in set number three, totaling five kills on nine swings to lead Washington State. Early in the third period it was Hannah Pukis, Urias and Tusa providing the kills however as the Cougars knotted up the score at 8-8. Washington State trailing the Trojans midway through the set, generated an 8-1 scoring run to jump in front of the visitors from Los Angeles at 16-13 overall. This run featured multiple blocks from the Crimson and Gray defensive front, and an ace from Urias capped off the run. USC began creating a bit of a comeback late in the set, but Magda found the floor once again in the match for the set clinching kill at 25-23.
The final set of this contest became the most intense battle of the day, featuring 16 overall ties, and 10 total lead changes between the Cougars and the Trojans. WSU shot out of the gate to an early 7-3 advantage as multiple kills from Tusa put the home team out in front. Southern California built a 5-2 run midway through the contest to retake the lead at 12-10 over the Cougars. A kill from Timmer, and two from Tusa gave the Cougars the lead once again at 13-12, however USC created a 4-0 run to force the WSU timeout at 16-13. These two squads went on to trade points late into the set, until the offensive power of Jehlářová, Lusby, and Tusa finished off USC once and for all at 27-25, and WSU claimed the 3-1 overall victory.
STAT OF THE MATCH
Washington State completed the season sweep of USC with the 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon, marking the first regular season sweep of the Trojans by the Cougars since 1986.
INTO THE TWITTER-VERSE
MATCH NOTES
- Senior Alexis Dirige continued to hit milestones, as she reached 2,000 digs in her career this afternoon. Dirige now also sits at 13th all-time in Pac-12 history in the stat category.
- Magda Jehlářová dominated the match as the freshman led WSU in kills with 13, along with hitting .455 overall, and led the Cougars in total blocks with six.
- Penny Tusa (12), Pia Timmer (11), and Alexcis Lusby (10) each recorded double-digit kills on the day to help fuel the offensive attack.
- Hannah Pukis stuffed the stat sheet today with 45 assists, 12 digs, five kills, and four blocks.
- The Cougars return to action next, Thursday, Nov. 7 as WSU will travel to Corvallis, Ore. to take on the Beavers of Oregon State with first serve scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
