PULLMAN, Wash. — Seventh-ranked Washington State volleyball (10-1) gets set to host its 2023 Pac-12 opener Thursday night in Bohler Gym against Apple Cup Rival Washington (RV) (9-2).  Thursday's Apple Cup will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Network beginning at 7 p.m. PST.

The Cougars have won five straight matches against Washington in Bohler Gym as they get set to face-off against the Huskies as the higher ranked team for the first time since 2002.

WSU Match Notes (PDF)
Match Info:
>> VS: Washington (RV) (9-2, 0-0 Pac-12)
>> DATE:  Thurs., Sept. 21  //  First serve: 7:05 p.m. (PST)
>> LOCATION: Pullman, Wash.  //  Bohler Gym
>> TV:  Pac-12 Network // PxP: Greg Heister
>> OPP STREAK:  Won 1
>> OPP LAST THREE:  W 3-2 at Cal Poly  //  L 0-3 vs Pepperdine //  W 3-0 vs Saint Mary's

Series History:
>> Overall: Washington leads 55-20
>> In Pullman: Washington leads 22-14
>> In Seattle: Washington leads 30-6
>> Neutral: Washington leads 3-0
>> Now in its 38th year of existence, Washington and Washington State get set to renew their rivalry in the 76th edition of the volleyball Apple Cup Thursday night in Bohler Gym.
>> Thursday's matchup will be the first under coach Greeny in which Washington State carries the higher national ranking, coming in at No. 7 in this week's AVCA Top-25.
>> The last time Washington State was ranked higher in a matchup with Washington was back in 2002 when 17th-ranked WSU defeated 21st-ranked UW.  An unranked UW side had defeated No. 16 Washington State earlier that season.
>> The Cougars have won five of the last seven matchups overall, capped by a 3-0 win in Bohler Gym to cap off the 2022 season last fall.
>> Washington State has won the last five meetings in Bohler Gym, with its last home loss to the Huskies coming in four sets back in 2017.
>> Washington State set a Bohler Gym attendance record (3,005) in last season's sweep over the Huskies.
>> Four of the past eight matchups between the two sides have gone the distance including a five-set win for Washington State in 2021 that also featured the longest set (46-44) in NCAA volleyball history.

Match Notes:
>> Magda Jehlářová was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after averaging 2.13 blocks/set with 1.88 kills/set in the Cougars' two road wins last week.
>> Jehlářová tallied nine blocks to go along with 12 kills in last week's road upset at sixth-ranked Texas, and she enters the first week of conference play with 524 career block assists, only four shy of becoming the program's all-time leader.
>> Jehlářová's .455 hitting percentage ranks 13th in the NCAA for the season and second in the Pac-12, while her 1.40 blocks/set leads the Pac and is good for 21st in the NCAA.
>> The Cougars ride the fourth-best hitting percentage as a team (.316) in all of Division I and the best in the Pac-12 into the first week of conference paly.
>> Argentina Ung ranks 12th in the NCAA and second in the Pac-12 with 10.95 assists/set while also averaging 2.13 digs/set, 1.38 blocks/set, and 0.75 kills/set.
>> Karly Basham is averaging a career-best 4.03 digs/set as the Cougs had four different players — Basham (4.25 d/s), Julia Norville (3.25 d/s), Argentina Ung (2.13 d/s), and Pia Timmer (2.00 d/s) — average at least 2.0 digs/set last week in wins over Baylor and Texas.
>> True freshman Emma Barbero averaged 1.57 digs/set a week ago as she continues to see more game action from the Cougars back row.
>> Iman Isanovic continues to transition seamlessly into the Cougars' attack and begins the week with a career-best .364 hitting percentage on the season.  She averaged 3.63 kills/set in the Cougars' 2-0 road trip last week and already has four matches this season with 15 or more kills.
>> Lana Radakovic has had five or more blocks in two of her last three matches, and is averaging 1.39 kills/set as she too continues to find her footing in the Cougars attack and blocking game.
>> Pia Timmer (124) and Julia Norville (105) each continue to climb the Washington State top-10 all-time in career serving aces, with each playing pivotal roles for the Cougs at the service line.

Up Next:
Washington State will play at Arizona on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the McKale Center on Pac-12 Arizona.  The Cougars will also be back on the road next week as they travel to play at Oregon State on Thurs., Sept. 28, and at sixth-ranked Oregon on Sun., Oct. 1.

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